Project description:Human brain development involves an orchestrated, massive neural progenitor expansion while a multi-cellular tissue architecture is established. Continuously expanding organoids can be grown directly from multiple somatic tissues, yet to date brain organoids can solely be established from pluripotent stem cells. Here, we show that healthy human fetal brain in vitro self-organizes into organoids (FeBOs), phenocopying aspects of in vivo cellular heterogeneity and complex organization. FeBOs can be expanded over long time periods. FeBO growth requires maintenance of tissue integrity, which ensures production of a tissue-like extracellular matrix (ECM) niche, ultimately endowing FeBO expansion. FeBO lines derived from different areas of the central nervous system (CNS), including dorsal and ventral forebrain, preserve their regional identity and allow to probe aspects of positional identity. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we showcase the generation of syngeneic mutant FeBO lines for the study of brain cancer. Taken together, FeBOs constitute a complementary CNS organoid platform.
Project description:Human brain development involves an orchestrated, massive neural progenitor expansion while a multi-cellular tissue architecture is established. Continuously expanding organoids can be grown directly from multiple somatic tissues, yet to date brain organoids can solely be established from pluripotent stem cells. Here, we show that healthy human fetal brain in vitro self-organizes into organoids (FeBOs), phenocopying aspects of in vivo cellular heterogeneity and complex organization. FeBOs can be expanded over long time periods. FeBO growth requires maintenance of tissue integrity, which ensures production of a tissue-like extracellular matrix (ECM) niche, ultimately endowing FeBO expansion. FeBO lines derived from different areas of the central nervous system (CNS), including dorsal and ventral forebrain, preserve their regional identity and allow to probe aspects of positional identity. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we showcase the generation of syngeneic mutant FeBO lines for the study of brain cancer. Taken together, FeBOs constitute a complementary CNS organoid platform.
Project description:To understand whether the intrinsic capacity of the fetal brain in vitro self-organizes into organoids (FeBOs) to secrete a tissue-like “matrisome” is linked to the maintenance of cell-to-cell organization and integrity, we compared the secretome of intact FeBOs and FeBO-derived neurospheres. We also performed side-by-side comparative proteomic analysis of FeBOs and human fetal brain tissue to investigate if the extracellular matrix (ECM) production in the FeBOs resembled a proper tissue-like ECM niche. Moreover, we also included proteomic analysis of unguided pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-cerebral organoids and PSC-cortical spheroids to understand how the human brain tissue ECM-niche compared not only to the FeBOs but also to PSC-derived 3D brain models.
Project description:To study the development of human retina, we used single cell RNAseq at key fetal stages and followed the development of the major cell types, as well as populations of transitional cells. We also analyzed stem cell (hPSC)-derived retinal organoids; although organoids have a very similar cellular composition at equivalent ages to the fetal retina, there are some differences in gene expression of particular cell types. Moreover, the inner retinal lamination is disrupted in more advanced stages of organoids when compared with fetal retina. To determine whether the disorganization in the inner retina was due to the culture conditions, we analyzed retinal development in fetal retina maintained under similar conditions. These retinospheres develop for at least 6 months, displaying better inner retinal lamination than retinal organoids. Our scRNAseq comparisons between fetal retina, retinal organoids and retinospheres provide a new resource for developing better in vitro models for retinal disease.
Project description:scRNAseq of primary fetal liver (6 post conceptional weeks), fetal biliary organoids, hepatoblast organoids, hepatoblast organoids after withdrawl of Wnt and transfer to hepatozyme medium, hepatoblast organoids after TGFb treatment.
Project description:To profile the developmental landscape of fetal HSPCs and their local niche, here, by using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we decoded the expanding hematopoietic organ in zebrafish
Project description:Individual TFs were overexpressed in fetal lung tip organoids from a doxycycline-inducible construct for 3 days, and organoids were maintained in the self-renewing (tip cell-promoting) medium throughout to rigorously assay the lineage-determining competence of the TF, followed by scRNA-seq. ASCL1, NEUROD1, and NEUROG3 were selected as key neuroendocrine regulators. We also selected the GHRL+ NE-specific RFX6 and NKX2.2, the pan-NE PROX1, and, as controls, the basal cell-specific TFs DeltaNTP63, TFAP2A, PAX9, and mNeonGreen-3xNLS.