Human organoid cultures: transformative new tools for human virus studies.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical research
• Infectious disease modeling
• Stem cell technology

Background:

• Traditional models for studying human infectious diseases lack physiological relevance.
• Organotypic cultures from stem cells provide advanced, physiologically active models.
• These models are crucial for understanding host-microbe interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize recent advancements in using organoids for studying human viral pathogens.
• To highlight the potential of organoid cultures in discovering host factors and infection responses.
• To discuss the role of organoids in preclinical evaluation of therapeutics.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing organoids derived from embryonic, pluripotent, and somatic stem cells.
• Employing intestinal organoids (enteroids) for rotavirus, norovirus, enteroviruses, and adenoviruses.
• Using cerebral organoids for Zika virus and lung bud organoids for respiratory syncytial virus.

Main Results:

• Organoid cultures enable the study of host-specific genetic and epigenetic factors influencing viral infections.
• These models facilitate the investigation of infection responses leading to disease.
• Organoids provide a platform for studying viral pathogenesis in a human-relevant context.

Conclusions:

• Organoid cultures represent a significant breakthrough in modeling human viral infections.
• Further development incorporating microenvironment components will enhance their utility.
• Organoids are poised to accelerate the development of vaccines, antivirals, and therapeutics.