Cellular self-assembly and biomaterials-based organoid models of development and diseases.
Organogenesis and morphogenesis have informed our understanding of physiology, pathophysiology, and avenues to create new curative and regenerative therapies. Thus far, this understanding has been hindered by the lack of a physiologically relevant yet accessible model that affords biological control. Recently, three-dimensional ex vivo cellular cultures created through cellular self-assembly under natural extracellular matrix cues or through biomaterial-based directed assembly have been shown to physically resemble and recapture some functionality of target organs. These "organoids" have garnered momentum for their applications in modeling human development and disease, drug screening, and future therapy design or even organ replacement. This review first discusses the self-organizing organoids as materials with emergent properties and their advantages and limitations. We subsequently describe biomaterials-based strategies used to afford more control of the organoid's microenvironment and ensuing cellular composition and organization. In this review, we also offer our perspective on how multifunctional biomaterials with precise spatial and temporal control could ultimately bridge the gap between in vitro organoid platforms and their in vivo counterparts.



Several notable reviews have highlighted PSC-derived organoids and 3D aggregates, including embryoid bodies, from a development and cellular assembly perspective. The focus of this review is to highlight the materials-based approaches that cells, including PSCs and others, adopt for self-assembly and the controlled development of complex tissues, such as that of the brain, gut, and immune system.
Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Shivem B
SB
Shah
Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. Electronic address: as2833@cornell.edu.
Ankur
A
Singh
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D008422:Materials Testing; D008954:Models, Biological; D038081:Organogenesis; D009940:Organoids / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D012038:Regeneration; D018874:Spheroids, Cellular / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods
D001672:Biocompatible Materials
Biomaterials; Biomimetic; Brain; Gut; Immune; Intestine; Self assembly; Spatio-temporal