Organoider

Organoider, also known as an organoid, refers to a small, three-dimensional tissue that mimics some structural and functional aspects of a real organ. Organoiders are derived from pluripotent stem cells or adult organ-specific progenitor cells and rely on their intrinsic self-organizing capacity to form miniature versions of organs in vitro. They typically develop within a three-dimensional extracellular matrix scaffold and are guided by defined growth factors that steer lineage specification and patterning.

In culture, organoids exhibit cell-type diversity and geographic organization reminiscent of their in vivo counterparts. They can display organ-specific activities such as intestinal crypt-like structures with goblet and enterocyte cells, or neural rosettes that resemble early brain development. The resulting tissues are smaller than true organs but preserve key functional and genetic characteristics, enabling studies of development, disease, and responses to therapies.

Common organoid systems include intestinal, brain, liver, kidney, pancreas, stomach, lung, and retinal organoids, among others. Applications span disease modeling, understanding developmental processes, drug screening, and personalized medicine, particularly when derived from patient-specific cells. Organoids are also used to study host–pathogen interactions and to test regenerative medicine approaches in a controlled setting.

Limitations include the lack of full vascularization and immune components, incomplete maturation, and variability between cultures. Ethical considerations arise especially with brain organoids and the use of human-derived tissues. Ongoing research aims to improve maturation, standardization, and integration with supporting systems to expand their translational potential.