Exploring Organoid Transplants

Organoids are tiny three-dimensional clusters of cells. They are lab-grown and usually derived from either adult stem cells or iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells). Researchers have recently discovered that they may also have the remarkable ability to repair or even replace damaged tissues by being transplanted into patients. If so, this would be a significant step towards offering new treatments for conditions that are currently difficult to cure.

Organoid transplantation begins with the growing of organoids in a laboratory setting from these iPSCs or adult stem cells. After this process has been completed, the cells then assemble into three-dimensional structures that are meant to serve as miniature models of organs. These models have many of the same functions as the organs they resemble and contain many of the same cell types. After the models have sufficiently developed, they can then be delivered to the patient’s body and used to cure the affected area. A fascinating example of this took place in a Japanese organoid transplant trial to treat ulcerative colitis. This is a potentially life-threatening disease that causes the formation of harmful sores in the digestive tract and inflammation. Furthermore, this technique has been used in animal studies as well, specifically in the liver, brain, and kidneys. The organoids used in these studies have been shown to restore previously lost functions in these organs.

Although organoid transplantation can yield many significant benefits for patients, there are still some significant obstacles surrounding this technique. For instance, it may be difficult for organoids to fully develop after transplantation or grow larger, as they often lack vascularization (meaning that they do not contain their own blood vessels). Furthermore, it can sometimes be difficult to control the quality of organoids, as they may not always grow as efficiently or in the same manner. This can also make it difficult to use them safely in treatments. Furthermore, there are ethical issues surrounding these treatments. A major ethical concern surrounding organoids is that scientists do not yet fully understand the long-term risks of this treatment method, as they may grow into tumors or trigger immune rejection. There are also concerns surrounding informed consent from stem cell donors and preventing misuse of this treatment. All of these need to be considered for the further implementation of these organoid transplants.

In summary, the progress that we have achieved so far in organoid transplants suggests a promising path in the future for further research of this treatment and implementation across a wider scale. These transplants have been shown to be successful and effective in repairing bodily tissue, but further research still needs to be done in order to overcome ethical concerns and better understand the long-term risks of this treatment.

Written by Hawi Teju at Incisionary

References:

de Jongh, D., Massey, E. K., Berishvili, E., Fonseca, L. M., Lebreton, F., Bellofatto, K., Bignard, J., Seissler, J., Buerck, L. W., Honarpisheh, M., Zhang, Y., Lei, Y., Pehl, M., Follenzi, A., Olgasi, C., Cucci, A., Borsotti, C., Assanelli, S., Piemonti, L., & Citro, A. (2022). Organoids: a systematic review of ethical issues. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-022-02950-9

Huang, Y., Huang, Z., Tang, Z., Chen, Y., Huang, M., Liu, H., Huang, W., Ye, Q., & Jia, B. (2021). Research Progress, Challenges, and Breakthroughs of Organoids as Disease Models. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.740574

News-Medical. (2022, August 22). News-Medical. News-Medical. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20220822/Worlds-first-in-human-research-using-organoid-transplantation-yields-good-results.aspx

Reza, H. A., Okabe, R., & Takanori Takebe. (2021). Organoid transplant approaches for the liver. Transplant International, 34(11), 2031–2045. https://doi.org/10.1111/tri.14128

Tang, X.-Y., Wu, S., Wang, D., Chu, C., Hong, Y., Tao, M., Hu, H., Xu, M., Guo, X., & Liu, Y. (2022). Human organoids in basic research and clinical applications. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-022-01024-9