Cerebral Organoids as Models for Neurological Disorders

Authors

Esther Karman

Abstract

Despite the devastating effects of neurological disorders on millions of people each year, for decades, brain research remained stagnant in the face of scientific advancement in other areas. Ethical concerns, debilitating costs, and a lack of suitable models created an unfriendly environment for the study of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and gliomas. Recent developments in the field of stem cells, including Yamanaka’s discovery of the four transcription factors necessary to induce pluripotency, and the subsequent culturing of induced pluripotent stem cell models known as organoids, opened new opportunities for brain-centered studies. Today, cerebral organoids, mini in vitro 3d models of the human brain, are used to determine disease pathogenesis and potential treatments for neurological disorders. This review explores the achievements, challenges, and possibilities of cerebral organoids as disease models.

Recommended Citation

Esther Karman. (2022). Cerebral Organoids as Models for Neurological Disorders. The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences, 16(1), 31-37. Retrieved from https://touroscholar.touro.edu/sjlcas/vol16/iss1/6