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Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Generation of iPSC-derived Human Brain Organoids to Model Early Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Generation of iPSC-derived Human Brain Organoids to Model Early Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Published on: April 14, 2017

Brain Organoids: Human Neurodevelopment in a Dish.

Silvia Benito-Kwiecinski¹, Madeline A Lancaster¹

¹MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom.

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology

|November 27, 2019

Summary

Human brain organoids, derived from stem cells, offer a revolutionary in vitro model for studying neurodevelopment and disease. This review explores their history, capabilities, and limitations in recapitulating brain development.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Stem Cell Biology

Background:

Studying human neurodevelopment and disease is challenging due to limited access to living brain tissue.
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can self-organize into 3D brain organoids, providing an accessible in vitro model.
Brain organoids represent a significant advancement over previous 'in a dish' models for neural research.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the historical development of studying neural development in vitro.
To evaluate the capacity of brain organoids to model key aspects of human brain development.
To discuss current limitations and strategies for improving brain organoid models.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on neural development models and brain organoids.

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Analysis of studies demonstrating brain organoid recapitulation of developmental events.

Examination of techniques aimed at enhancing organoid reproducibility and maturation.

Main Results:

Brain organoids can model regional identity, cytoarchitecture, cell diversity, neuronal maturation, and circuit formation.
Significant progress has been made in recapitulating complex neurodevelopmental processes.
Limitations persist regarding model reproducibility and achieving full, healthy maturation.

Conclusions:

Brain organoids are a powerful tool for investigating human neurodevelopment and disease mechanisms in vitro.
Ongoing research focuses on overcoming limitations to improve the fidelity and reliability of these models.
Further advancements in brain organoid technology promise deeper insights into brain function and disorders.