Question: Can this technique be used with cells other than intestinal cells?

Eva Rath answered on 20 Jun 2023:

My work focusses on intestinal organoids; but organoids can be generated of different organs, e.g. brain. While it is relatively easy to get intestinal tissue pieces for research, it is almost impossible to get samples from a healthy human brain. However, brain organoids can be generated from “induced pluripotent stem cells”. “Induced stem cell” means that for example a skin cell is chemically or genetically re-programmed to be a stem cell. This induced stem cell can then give rise to brain
organoids if the right mix of substances is added to their cell medium. Because human and animal brains are so different, animals are not a suitable model for human brain functions. Human brain organoids already helped a lot to better understand normal human brain functions and brain diseases such as Alzheimer´s disease.