organotypic

Organotypic is an adjective used in biology to describe culture systems or models in which tissue retains some of the structural organization and cell-type interactions characteristic of the organ from which it originated. It contrasts with conventional monolayer cell cultures that typically lose three-dimensional architecture and tissue-level organization. Organotypic cultures are prepared from tissue explants or dissociated cells that are guided to reaggregate or remain in structured forms, and are maintained ex vivo under conditions that support viability and structural integrity.

The term is often applied to organotypic brain slice cultures, such as hippocampal, cerebellar, or cortical slices, which preserve local circuitry and can be studied for synaptic plasticity, development, and pathology. Other examples include organotypic retina cultures and other organ slices, as well as organotypic explant cultures used in developmental biology and toxicology. In some contexts, organotypic cultures may refer to three-dimensional organoid systems that recapitulate aspects of organ architecture, though organoids are typically described as self-organizing stem-cell-derived structures rather than intact tissue slices.

Key features include maintenance of multiple cell types in reasonable spatial relationships, preserved extracellular matrix cues, and the ability to manipulate the system with pharmacological, genetic, or imaging approaches. Advantages include the ability to study tissue-level processes in a controlled environment and to observe long-term dynamics. Limitations include restricted longevity, absence of systemic factors, and variability between preparations. Organotypic models complement in vivo studies and simpler cell cultures by bridging the gap between them.