Organoids: opportunities and challenges of cancer therapy

Abstract

Organoids are a class of multicellular structures with the capability of self-organizing and the characteristic of original tissues, they are generated from stem cells in 3D culture in vitro. Organoids can mimic the occurrence and progression of original tissues and widely used in disease models in recent years. The ability of tumor organoids to retain characteristic of original tumors make them unique for tumorigenesis and cancer therapy. However, the history of organoid development and the application of organoid technology in cancer therapy are not well understood. In this paper, we reviewed the history of organoids development, the culture methods of tumor organoids establishing and the applications of organoids in cancer research for better understanding the process of tumor development and providing better strategies for cancer therapy. The standardization of organoids cultivation facilitated the large-scale production of tumor organoids. Moreover, it was found that combination of tumor organoids and other cells such as immune cells, fibroblasts and nervous cells would better mimic the microenvironment of tumor progression. This might be important developing directions for tumor organoids in the future.

Extracellular Vesicles in Breast Cancer: From Intercellular Communication to Therapeutic Opportunities

“…In contrast, 3D cultures, including spheroids and organoids, better mimic physiological conditions, promoting increased EV production and offering a more accurate representation of tumour biology [139][140][141][142][143]. Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) also play a crucial role in preserving the tumour microenvironment and recapitulating intratumor heterogeneity, making them invaluable tools for preclinical drug testing and personalized medicine approaches [144][145][146][147][148][149].…”

Experimental Methods for Establishing and Maintaining Canine Bladder Cancer Organoids

“…Tumors are composed of a diverse range of cell types, including cancer cells, stromal cells, immune cells, and endothelial cells. While cancer-derived organoids can capture some of this complexity, they may not fully replicate the tumor microenvironment and its various cell types, which are crucial for understanding tumor behavior and treatment response (Fang et al 2023;Jiang et al 2023). Additionally, tumors often have multiple subclones with distinct genetic and phenotypic pro les (Jamal-Hanjani et al 2015).…”

“…Additionally, tumors often have multiple subclones with distinct genetic and phenotypic pro les (Jamal-Hanjani et al 2015). Capturing this subclonal diversity can be challenging in organoids, which may limit their effectiveness in accurately modeling tumor evolution and resistance mechanisms (Fang et al 2023;Jiang et al 2023).…”

Interleukin 13 Promotes Maturation and Proliferation in Metaplastic Gastroids

“…Over the past decade, organoid models have become more popular in biomedical research/preclinical research because they can more effectively model tissue organization and function organs. 35 , 36 Our group has established mouse stomach epithelial organoids, gastroids, with intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia characteristics from the Mist1-Kras mouse model. 37 In this study, we describe the establishment and characterization of a novel in vitro mouse gastroid line established from Mist1-Kras-mTmG for SPEM, designated Meta1.…”