Modelling neurodegenerative diseases with 3D brain organoids

Yujung Chang, Junyeop Kim, Hanseul Park, Hwan Choi, Jongpil Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

40 Scopus citations

Abstract

Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable and debilitating conditions characterized by the deterioration of brain function. Most brain disease models rely on human post-mortem brain tissue, non-human primate tissue, or in vitro two-dimensional (2D) experiments. Resource limitations and the complexity of the human brain are some of the reasons that make suitable human neurodegenerative disease models inaccessible. However, recently developed three-dimensional (3D) brain organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including embryonic stem cells and induced PSCs, may provide suitable models for the study of the pathological features of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of existing 3D brain organoid models and discuss recent advances in organoid technology that have increased our understanding of brain development. Moreover, we explain how 3D organoid models recapitulate aspects of specific neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington's disease, and explore the utility of these models, for therapeutic applications.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1497-1509
Number of pages13
JournalBiological Reviews
Volume95
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Oct 2020

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • disease modelling
  • neurodegenerative disease
  • organoid
  • Parkinson's disease
  • pluripotent stem cell

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