Background: Evolution in the in vitro cell culture from conventional 2D to 3D technique has been a significant accomplishment. The 3D culture models have provided a close and better insight into the physiological study of the human body. The increasing demand for organs like liver, kidney, and pancreas for transplantation, rapid anti-cancer drug screening, and the limitations associated with the use of animal models have attracted the interest of researchers to explore 3D organ culture.
Main body: Natural, synthetic, and hybrid material-based hydrogels are being used as scaffolds in 3D culture and provide 'close-to-in vivo' structures. Organoids: the stem cell-derived small size 3D culture systems are now favored due to their ability to mimic the in-vivo conditions of organ or tissue and this characteristic has made it eligible for a variety of clinical applications, drug discovery and regenerative medicine are a few of the many areas of application. The use of animal models for clinical applications has been a long-time ethical and biological challenge to get accurate outcomes. 3D bioprinting has resolved the issue of vascularization in organoid culture to a great extent by its layer-by-layer construction approach. The 3D bioprinted organoids have a popular application in personalized disease modeling and rapid drug development and therapeutics.
Short conclusions: This review paper, focuses on discussing the novel organoid culture approach, its advantages and limitations, and potential applications in a variety of life science areas namely cancer research, cell therapy, tissue engineering, and personalized medicine and drug discovery.
Keywords: 3D cell culture; Disease models; Extra Cellular Matrix; Hydrogel; Organoid; Personalized medicine; Stem cells; Tissue Engineering; Vascularization.
© The Author(s) 2021.