Table 1.
Advantages and disadvantages of organoid culture
| Advantages |
|
3D cell models are more physiologically relevant and predictive than 2D culture models The composition of the different cell types found in the organoid can be used to model the cellular interactions between different cell types within an organ By integrating microfluidics systems into the 3D culture, cellular response to “flow” (of blood or interstitial fluid) can be modeled Epithelial barrier tissues are known to separate the different compartments within an organ. There is a greatly enhanced representation of epithelium in organoids 3D cultures can be used to model inflammation better than 2D cultures Organoid culture can be initiated from ESCs, hiPSCs and ASCs |
| Disadvantages |
|
Although physiologically organoids are close to in vivo organ systems, they lack vasculature and immune cells Most of the organoids are derived from iPSCs, the cells of PSCs are immature and match embryo/fetal gene expression profile Variability exists in many levels from genotypes of starting cells (iPSCs), to between batches, to within the batch between organoids, to within the organoid at different regions of organoid Creating a 3D scaffold that can accurately mimic cellular microenvironments is extremely intricate, especially the construction of the tissue-tissue interface Customizing the microenvironmental development factors that regulate the growth and differentiation of cells in vivo is challenging in in vitro 3D models Difficult to control the spatiotemporal distribution of nutrients and waste in these tissues |