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Review
. 2023 Mar 17;4(1):101860.
doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101860. Epub 2022 Dec 24.

A review of protocols for brain organoids and applications for disease modeling

Affiliations
Review

A review of protocols for brain organoids and applications for disease modeling

Christopher N Mayhew et al. STAR Protoc. .

Abstract

Recent breakthroughs in human stem cell technologies have enabled the generation of 3D brain organoid platforms for modeling human neurodevelopment and disease. Here, we review advances in brain organoid development, approaches for generating whole-brain or cerebral organoids and region-specific brain organoids, and their applications in disease modeling. We present a comprehensive overview of various brain organoid generation protocols, including culture steps, media, timelines, and technical considerations associated with each protocol, and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of each protocol. We also discuss the current limitations as well as increasing sophistication of brain organoid technology, and future directions for the field. These insights provide a valuable assessment of multiple commonly used brain organoid models and main considerations for investigators who are considering implementing brain organoid technologies in their laboratories.

Keywords: cell culture; organoids; stem cells.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Graphical overview of stages of brain organoid generation protocols presented in Tables 2, 3, and 4, including key stages, culture vessels, and media components Notes: media compositions are simplified to show an overview of only key factors at each stage. Carefully review detailed media composition in protocols for exact composition, concentrations, and timings used. Depicted culture vessels indicate those described by protocol authors. Where possible, we recommend researchers use these vessels, but in some cases, alternatives may be used. Created with BioRender.com.

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