Engineering Microenvironments for Organoid Architecture: The Power of Simple Tools in Recapitulating System Complexity

Date

Jun 23, 2023

Time

9:15 AM - 10:15 AM

Speaker

Masaya Hagiara

Affiliation

RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR)

Language

en

Main Topic

Biologie

Host

Meritxell Huch

Description

Engineering Microenvironments for Organoid Architecture: The Power of Simple Tools in Recapitulating System Complexity In vitro 3D and organoid culture methods that mimic the rich complexity of cell population and extracellular matrix (ECM) components of in vivo tissues contribute greatly to furthering our understanding of various biological phenomena. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to exert control over complex shape and architecture, as well as tissue-tissue interactions of cultured organoids. The current organoid development is highly depending on cellular self-organization, but the homogeneous culture conditions in vitro cannot provide spatial information to cells correctly. Engineering principles, on the other hand, are great tools that enable us to tailor the design, composition, and construction of organoids according to the intended purpose of the study. Here, I present an in vitro experimental platform for the organoid culture to design and control microenvironment. The results in collective cell behaviour under the controlled environment provides us the insight how ECM design is important to control morphology. Then, the simple cube device, which comprises a polycarbonate frame with rigid agarose walls and an inner ECM hydrogel, can be used to (i) control the spatial distribution of cells by employing 3D-printed carbohydrate moulds to create cell seeding pockets in the ECM hydrogel, (ii) design tissues with localized ECM by isolating ECM hydrogels of varying the composition or stiffness in separate compartments, (iii) facilitate integration with microfluidics to generate the concentration gradient of morphogens to direct cell growth and differentiation, and (iv) assemble multi-CUBE with organoids or tissues to express tissue-tissue interactions. Varieties of applications to locally differentiate from iPSCs as well as control branch pattern formations of bronchial cells have been achieved. The platform does not require complicated external system such as pump and laser. Thus, it can be easily installed in most of lab environment to accelerate the research for organoid developments while it is envisioned that increasingly sophisticated and interconnected organoids will be achievable.

Last modified: Jun 24, 2023, 7:39:48 AM