The Emergence of Stem Cell-Based Brain Organoids: Trends and Challenges

Abstract

Recent developments in 3D cultures exploiting the self-organization ability of pluripotent stem cells have enabled the generation of powerful in vitro systems termed brain organoids. These 3D tissues recapitulate many aspects of human brain development and disorders occurring in vivo. When combined with improved differentiation methods, these in vitro systems allow the generation of more complex “assembloids,” which are able to reveal cell diversities, microcircuits, and cell–cell interactions within their 3D organization. Here, the ways in which human brain organoids have contributed to demystifying the complexities of brain development and modeling of developmental disorders is reviewed and discussed. Furthermore, challenging questions that are yet to be addressed by emerging brain organoid research are discussed.