Editorial: Pluripotent stem cell engineered 3D structures for disease modeling and tissue repairing

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 2023 · DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1146143 · Published: February 3, 2023

Regenerative Medicine Neurology Biomedical

Simple Explanation

This editorial discusses the use of 3D bioengineered tissues, including micro-tissues, organoids, and assembloids, derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for modeling central nervous system (CNS) diseases and therapeutic cell replacement. Cellular reprogramming technology enables the creation of complex 3D cellular structures from patients, advancing personalized medicine for neurological disorders and injuries. The Research Topic highlights recent advances in using hPSC-derived 3D cultures for disease modeling and cell therapy, including reviews and original research articles covering advancements in human 3D CNS tissue engineering and its applications in translational medicine.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Editorial

Key Findings

1
Bioelectricity can be used to generate physiologically relevant CNS organoids for developmental studies and disease modeling, addressing the shortcomings of current protocols.
2
Standardization of culture techniques and innovation of bioengineering strategies will continue to develop human spinal cord organoids as a useful system for studying patient-specific neurodegenerative diseases.
3
Hybrid approaches that combine directed and induced differentiation, co-culture, and organoids can overcome limitations in generating region-specific cell types and maintaining their functionality over time.

Research Summary

This Research Topic summarizes important findings related to studies using human induced pluripotent stem cells for translational medicine and provides prospective advances in its application. Bioengineered human 3D cellular tissues have great potential in meeting the growing need for more advanced disease modeling platforms and therapeutic cellular resources. Organoids, assembloids, circuitoids, and organ-on-a-chip systems are modeling strategies that allow for great flexibility and ingenuity in mechanistic studying for organ development and personalized medicine.

Practical Implications

Disease Modeling

3D cellular structures derived from hPSCs and patient cells can be used to model CNS diseases and uncover cellular responses to toxicants, enabling personalized medicine approaches.

Cellular Therapies

Methods for scaling up hiPSC and their neuronal derivatives can be used in clinical applications such as cellular therapies and drug screening.

Drug Screening

Engineered brain organoids with fluorescent protein markers can be used for effective drug screening, such as for demyelination treatments.

Study Limitations

1
Lack of standardized hiPSC culturing methods results in limited cell diversity and organization.
2
Inconsistent reproducibility in generating human spinal organoids.
3
Restricted culture durations for organoids.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Regenerative Medicine