Generation of advanced cerebellar organoids for neurogenesis and neuronal network development

Abstract

Neurons within the cerebellum form temporal-spatial connections through the cerebellum, and the entire brain. Organoid models provide an opportunity to model the early differentiation of the developing human cerebellum, which is difficult to study in vivo, and affords the opportunity to study neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases of the cerebellum. Previous cerebellar organoid models focused on early neuron generation and single cell activity. Here, we modify previous protocols to generate more mature cerebellar organoids that allow for the establishment of several classes of mature neurons during cerebellar differentiation and development, including the establishment of neural networks during whole-organoid maturation. This will provide a means to study the generation of several more mature cerebellar cell types, including Purkinje cells, granule cells and interneurons expression as well as neuronal communication for biomedical, clinical and pharmaceutical applications.