Automated high-speed 3D imaging of organoid cultures with multi-scale phenotypic quantification

Abstract

Current imaging approaches limit the ability to perform multi-scale characterization of three-dimensional (3D) organotypic cultures (organoids) in large numbers. Here, we present an automated multi-scale 3D imaging platform synergizing high-density organoid cultures with rapid and live 3D single-objective light-sheet imaging. It is composed of disposable microfabricated organoid culture chips, termed JeWells, with embedded optical components and a laser beam-steering unit coupled to a commercial inverted microscope. It permits streamlining organoid culture and high-content 3D imaging on a single user-friendly instrument with minimal manipulations and a throughput of 300 organoids per hour. We demonstrate that the large number of 3D stacks that can be collected via our platform allows training deep learning-based algorithms to quantify morphogenetic organizations of organoids at multi-scales, ranging from the subcellular scale to the whole organoid level. We validated the versatility and robustness of our approach on intestine, hepatic, neuroectoderm organoids and oncospheres.