Neural Organoids
Neural organoids, also known as cerebral organoids, are hPSC-derived three-dimensional in vitro culture systems that recapitulate the developmental processes and organization of the developing human brain. These ‘mini-brains’ provide a physiologically relevant in vitro 3D brain model for the study of neurological development and disease processes that are unique to the human nervous system. They have important applications in studying human brain development and neurological disorders such as autism, schizophrenia or brain defects caused by Zika virus infection.
We've created these resources to support your work with cerebral organoids, and to give you a glimpse into how cerebral organoids are being used by scientists in the field of neuroscience.
Madeline Lancaster on Brain Organoids: Modeling Human Brain Development in a Dish
In this webinar, Dr. Madeline Lancaster, who has done groundbreaking work in the development of cerebral organoid technology, discusses the latest developments in cerebral organoids and provides a comparison of different 3D model systems being used for neurological research.
View Now >Key Neural Organoid Publications
Neural Spheroids
Forebrain-Specific Organoids
Birey F et al. (2017) Assembly of functionally integrated human forebrain spheroids. Nature 545(7652): 54–9.
Kadoshima T et al. (2013) Self-organization of axial polarity, inside-out layer pattern, and species-specific progenitor dynamics in human ES cell-derived neocortex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110(50): 20284–9.
Eiraku M et al. (2008) Self-organized formation of polarized cortical tissues from ESCs and its active manipulation by extrinsic signals. Cell Stem Cell 3(5): 519–32.
Pituitary-Specific Organoids
Hypothalamus-Specific Organoids
Cerebellum-Specific Organoids
Muguruma K et al. (2015) Self-organization of polarized cerebellar tissue in 3D culture of human pluripotent stem cells. Cell Rep 10(4): 537–50.
Muguruma K et al. (2010) Ontogeny-recapitulating generation and tissue integration of ES cell-derived Purkinje cells. Nat Neurosci 13(10): 1171–80.
Midbrain-Specific Organoids
Retinal Spheroids
Eiraku M et al. (2008) Self-organized formation of polarized cortical tissues from ESCs and its active manipulation by extrinsic signals. Cell Stem Cell 3(5): 519–32.
Whole-Brain Organoids
Lancaster MA et al. (2014) Organogenesis in a dish: modeling development and disease using organoid technologies. Science 345(6194): 1247125.
Lancaster MA et al. (2013) Cerebral organoids model human brain development and microcephaly. Nature 501(1): 373–9.
Zika Virus
Gabriel E et al. (2017) Recent Zika virus isolates induce premature differentiation of neural progenitors in human brain organoids. Cell Stem Cell 20(3): 397-406.
Cugola FR et al. (2016) The Brazilian Zika virus strain causes birth defects in experimental models. Nature 534(7606): 267–71.
Dang J et al. (2016) Zika virus depletes neural progenitors in human cerebral organoids through activation of the innate immune receptor TLR3. Cell Stem Cell 19(2): 258–65.
Garcez PP et al. (2016) Zika virus impairs growth in human neurospheres and brain organoids. Science 352(6287): 816–8.
Qian X et al. (2016) Brain-region-specific organoids using mini-bioreactors for modeling ZIKV exposure. Cell 165(5): 1238–54.
Lancaster MA et al. (2013) Cerebral organoids model human brain development and microcephaly. Nature 501(1): 373–9.
Autism
Other
Quadrato G et al. (2017) Cell diversity and network dynamics in photosensitive human brain organoids. Nature 545(7652): 48-53.