Heart organoids and tissue models for modeling development and disease

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Biology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Organoid Technology

Background:

• Organoids are in vitro miniaturized organs with potential to revolutionize biological and pathological research.
• Cardiac organoids enable the study of heart development, function, and disease, including congenital and adult heart conditions.
• Existing methods for generating cardiac organoids have substantial conceptual and methodological differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate recent cardiac organoid studies based on core organoid technology principles.
• To classify existing cardiac organoid systems into distinct types.
• To highlight interventions that promote organoid formation.

Main Methods:

• Review and analysis of recent cardiac organoid studies.
• Classification of cardiac organoid systems based on patterned self-organization and resemblance to in vivo organs.
• Identification of key signaling pathways and morphogen interventions involved in cardiac organoid formation.

Main Results:

• Cardiac organoid systems were classified into developmental cardiac organoids, chamber cardiac organoids, microtissues, and engineered heart tissues.
• Key interventions, such as modulation of cardiogenic signaling pathways, were highlighted as crucial for organoid formation.
• Conceptual and methodological differences among current cardiac organoid models were identified.

Conclusions:

• Consolidation and categorization of cardiac organoid models are essential to reduce confusion in the field.
• Standardized classification will facilitate progress toward the development of an ideal cardiac organoid.
• Further research is needed to refine cardiac organoid models for comprehensive study of heart biology and disease.