FBS Colloquia No.357RIKEN BDR

Engineering In-vitro Microenvironments to Replicate Complex In Vivo Conditions for Organoid Architecture

In vitro 3D and organoid culture methods that emulate the intricate complexity of cell populations and extracellular matrix (ECM) components in vivo significantly contribute to advancing our understanding of various biological phenomena. However, achieving precise control over the complex shapes, architectures, and interactions among different tissues within cultured organoids remains a challenge. Current organoid development heavily relies on cellular self-organization, yet the uniform culture conditions in vitro fall short of providing accurate spatial cues to cells. Conversely, leveraging engineering principles offers a promising avenue to customize the design, composition, and construction of organoids based on specific research objectives. We have developed an in vitro experimental platform for the organoid culture to design and control microenvironment. In this seminar, I will introduce various technologies to provide spatial information to cells to guide self-organization and how they can facilitate to developing complex in vivo conditions in vitro.