The Age of Brain Organoids: Tailoring Cell Identity and Functionality for Normal Brain Development and Disease Modeling

Frontiers in Neuroscience

Pitia F. Ledur¹  Livia Goto-Silva¹  Lisiane O. Porciúncula²  Stevens K. Rehen³ 

[1] D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;Department of Biochemistry, Program of Biological Sciences - Biochemistry, Institute of Health and Basic Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil;Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;

关键词: brain organoids;    brain development;    neurodevelopmental disorders;    electrophysiology;    human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC);    neurodegenerative diseases;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fnins.2021.674563

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Over the past years, brain development has been investigated in rodent models, which were particularly relevant to establish the role of specific genes in this process. However, the cytoarchitectonic features, which determine neuronal network formation complexity, are unique to humans. This implies that the developmental program of the human brain and neurological disorders can only partly be reproduced in rodents. Advancement in the study of the human brain surged with cultures of human brain tissue in the lab, generated from induced pluripotent cells reprogrammed from human somatic tissue. These cultures, termed brain organoids, offer an invaluable model for the study of the human brain. Brain organoids reproduce the cytoarchitecture of the cortex and can develop multiple brain regions and cell types. Integration of functional activity of neural cells within brain organoids with genetic, cellular, and morphological data in a comprehensive model for human development and disease is key to advance in the field. Because the functional activity of neural cells within brain organoids relies on cell repertoire and time in culture, here, we review data supporting the gradual formation of complex neural networks in light of cell maturity within brain organoids. In this context, we discuss how the technology behind brain organoids brought advances in understanding neurodevelopmental, pathogen-induced, and neurodegenerative diseases.

【 授权许可】

Unknown