Human Organoids for Predictive Toxicology Research and Drug Development

Organoids are three-dimensional structures fabricated in vitro from pluripotent stem cells or adult tissue stem cells via a process of self-organization that results in the formation of organ-specific cell types. Human organoids are expected to mimic complex microenvironments and many of the in vivo physiological functions of relevant tissues, thus filling the translational gap between animals and humans and increasing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying disease and developmental processes. In the last decade, organoid research has attracted increasing attention in areas such as disease modeling, drug development, regenerative medicine, toxicology research, and personalized medicine. In particular, in the field of toxicology, where there are various traditional models, human organoids are expected to blaze a new path in future research by overcoming the current limitations, such as those related to differences in drug responses among species. Here, we discuss the potential usefulness, limitations, and future prospects of human liver, heart, kidney, gut, and brain organoids from the viewpoints of predictive toxicology research and drug development, providing cutting edge information on their fabrication methods and functional characteristics.