A Brain Organoid Model that Better Represents the Structure of the Human Brain

Background

• Brain organoids are three dimensional tissues grown in cell culture that mimic the structure and function of the human brain; they are most often used as models to study brain development, and neurological disease, and test therapeutic drugs.
• The organoid market in general is expected to grow to $3.4B by 2027, driven by an increasing demand for alternatives to animal testing.
• The need for better organoid models is particularly prominent in the field of neuroscience, where species-specific differences and complexity of neurological disease continue to challenge the application of knowledge derived from animal models to the human context.

Technology Overview

• A new formulation and protocol that gives rise to highly viable and uniform brain organoids comprised of astrocytes, neurons, oligodendrocytes and microglia, more closely resembling the structure of the human brain.

Stage of Development:

Formulation tested on five different pluripotent stem cell lines, all resulting in organoids with microglia at high yield with capacity for organoid repair.

Immunohistochemical staining of cell markers in brain organoid sections indicates the presence of microglia (i.e., TMEM119) in these organoids vs organoids grown using a commercial kit.

Benefits

• The first formulation to the University of Saskatchewan’s knowledge that generates brain organoids with microglia (i.e., the brain’s immune cells).
• Formulation enables embryoid body repair by overcoming nutrient deficits, which is not currently possible with other protocols.
• 95% organoid yield, compared to current commercial kits, providing <10% yields.
• Readily adaptable for use across all stem cell culture systems.
• The formulation is free of animal products and compatible with hydrogels, circumventing the need to use animal or human-based extracellular matrices.

Opportunity

Seeking licensing, collaborative partnership.