Abstract
Genetic studies identified multiple mutations associated with malformations of cortical development (MCD) in humans. When analyzing the underlying mechanisms in non-human experimental models it became increasingly evident, that these mutations accumulate in genes, which functions evolutionary progressed from rodents to humans resulting in an incomplete reflection of the molecular and cellular alterations in these models. Human brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells resemble early aspects of human brain development to a remarkable extent making them an attractive model to investigate MCD. Here we review how human brain organoids enable the generation of fundamental new insight about the underlying pathomechanisms of MCD. We show how phenotypic features of these diseases are reflected in human brain organoids and discuss challenges and future considerations but also limitations for the use of human brain organoids to model human brain development and associated disorders.
Keywords:
Cerebral organoids; Malformations of human cortical development; Psychiatric disorders; iPS cells.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication types
-
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
-
Review
MeSH terms
-
Cell Differentiation
-
Cerebral Cortex / abnormalities
-
Cerebral Cortex / growth & development
-
Cerebral Cortex / metabolism*
-
Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology
-
Ependymoglial Cells / cytology
-
Ependymoglial Cells / metabolism
-
Gene Expression Regulation
-
Humans
-
Lissencephaly / genetics*
-
Lissencephaly / metabolism
-
Lissencephaly / pathology
-
Lissencephaly / physiopathology
-
Megalencephaly / genetics*
-
Megalencephaly / metabolism
-
Megalencephaly / pathology
-
Megalencephaly / physiopathology
-
Microcephaly / genetics*
-
Microcephaly / metabolism
-
Microcephaly / pathology
-
Microcephaly / physiopathology
-
Models, Biological
-
Mutation
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
-
Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
-
Neural Stem Cells / cytology
-
Neural Stem Cells / metabolism
-
Neurogenesis / genetics
-
Neurons / cytology
-
Neurons / metabolism
-
Organoids / metabolism*
-
Organoids / pathology
-
Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia / genetics*
-
Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia / metabolism
-
Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia / pathology
-
Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia / physiopathology
-
Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology
-
Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism
-
Primary Cell Culture