Cited by 5,372Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanismsPluripotent Stem Cells ResearchDevelopmental Biology and Gene Regulation

Cerebral organoids model human brain development and microcephaly

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Lancaster, Madeline A., Renner, Magdalena, Martin, Carol-Anne, Wenzel, Daniel, Bicknell, Louise S., Hurles, Matthew E., Homfray, Tessa, Penninger, Josef M. +2 more·2013·Nature

Abstract

The complexity of the human brain has made it difficult to study many brain disorders in model organisms, highlighting the need for an in vitro model of human brain development. Here we have developed a human pluripotent stem cell-derived three-dimensional organoid culture system, termed cerebral organoids, that develop various discrete, although interdependent, brain regions. These include a cerebral cortex containing progenitor populations that organize and produce mature cortical neuron subtypes. Furthermore, cerebral organoids are shown to recapitulate features of human cortical development, namely characteristic progenitor zone organization with abundant outer radial glial stem cells. Finally, we use RNA interference and patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells to model microcephaly, a disorder that has been difficult to recapitulate in mice. We demonstrate premature neuronal differentiation in patient organoids, a defect that could help to explain the disease phenotype. Together, these data show that three-dimensional organoids can recapitulate development and disease even in this most complex human tissue.

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  • Human brain organoids can replicate the complex brain microenvironment better than 2D in vitro models.

    “With their 3D structures and cell components resembling the human brain, these organoids can replicate the complex brain microenvironment better than 2D in vitro models (15–17, 19)”

    From Understanding monocyte-driven neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease using human cortical organoid microphysiological systems (2025) · cites this paper as [15]

    The Introduction describes 3D organoids with interacting brain-region identities and organization resembling the developing human brain; the Results report complex, heterogeneous tissues. These passages support the claim that organoids reproduce aspects of brain structure, but they do not establish that organoids replicate the brain microenvironment better than 2D in vitro models. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • hiPSC-derived astrocytes can be generated with a fast protocol in 2D layers or integrated in 3D systems such as spheroids and organoids.

    “hiPSC-derived astrocytes, which can be generated with a fast protocol in 2D layers104 or integrated in 3D systems such as spheroids and organoids105–108”

    From Reactive astrocyte nomenclature, definitions, and future directions (2021) · cites this paper as [106]

    The Results section (‘Generation of cerebral organoids’; page unavailable) reports 3D cerebral organoids generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells. It does not report hiPSC-derived astrocytes being integrated into those organoids or into spheroids. The fast 2D protocol is attached to a different citation and is not assessed here. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Human disease models for liver, pancreas, CNS, skin, lung, intestine, musculoskeletal system and heart exist, yet whether they equal or surpass animal models remains unproven.

    “Promising disease models of the liver65,66, pancreas67,68, central nervous system35,69,70, skin71, lung72,73, intestine72–76, musculoskeletal system77 and heart78–81 have been developed, but their equivalence or superiority over their animal models needs to be demonstrated.”

    From Human disease models in drug development (2023) · cites this paper as [35]

  • 3D organoids often have instructive morphogenetic cues resulting in self organization similarly found in vivo.

    “These 3D “organoids” are often found to have instructive morphogenetic cues resulting in self organization similarly found in vivo [53,54].”
  • Human brain organoids are 3D cultures derived from human pluripotent stem cells and recapitulate native brain cellular components, cytoarchitecture, and exhibit neural activity.

    “Human brain organoids are 3D cultures derived from human pluripotent stem cells and recapitulate native brain cellular components, cytoarchitecture, and exhibit neural activity.22–24”

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Authors
Lancaster, M. A., Renner, M., Martin, C.-A., Wenzel, D., Bicknell, L. S., Hurles, M. E., Homfray, T., Penninger, J. M., Jackson, A. P., & Knoblich, J. A.
Affiliations
  • Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (AT)
  • Institute of Genetics and Cancer (GB)
  • Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB)
  • St George's, University of London (GB)
Corresponding author
Knoblich, Juergen A.
Venue
Nature
Published
2013-08-28
Volume
501
Issue
7467
Pages
373-379
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2018286352
Cited by
5,372
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 446 · 2025: 575 · 2024: 543 · 2023: 560 · 2022: 544 · 2021: 572 · 2020: 512 · 2019: 383 · 2018: 346 · 2017: 302 · 2016: 239 · 2015: 175 · 2014: 138 · 2013: 31
FWCI
72.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Wellcome Trust (WT 098051)
  • Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine
  • Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
  • Austrian Science Fund
  • Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
Keywords
brain organoids, human brain development, microcephaly, pluripotent stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, three-dimensional organoid culture, cortical development, neuronal differentiation, patient-derived disease model
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Cerebral Cortex, Humans, Microcephaly, Models, Biological, Neurons, Organoids, Tissue Culture Techniques, Mice, Neurogenesis, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, Neural Stem Cells

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