Scalable production of human cortical organoids using a biocompatible polymer

The generation of neural organoids from human pluripotent stem cells holds great promise in modelling disease and screening drugs, but current approaches are difficult to scale due to undesired organoid fusion. Here we develop a scalable cerebral cortical organoid platform by screening biocompatible polymers that prevent the fusion of organoids cultured in suspension. We identify a cost-effective polysaccharide that increases the viscosity of the culture medium, significantly enhancing the yield of cortical organoids while preserving key features such as regional patterning, neuronal morphology and functional activity. We further demonstrate that this platform enables straightforward screening of 298 FDA-approved drugs and teratogens for growth defects using over 2,400 cortical organoids, uncovering agents that disrupt organoid growth and development. We anticipate this approach to provide a robust and scalable system for modelling human cortical development, and facilitate efficient compound screening for neuropsychiatric disorders-associated phenotypes.