Microengineered organoids: reconstituting organ-level functions in vitro

Abstract

In vitro miniaturized organoids are innovative tools with varying applications in biomedical engineering, such as drug testing, disease modeling, organ development studies, and regenerative medicine. However, conventional organoid development has several hurdles in reproducing and reconstituting organ-level functions in vitro, hampering advanced and impactful studies. In this review, we summarize the emerging microengineering-based organoid development techniques aiming to overcome these hurdles. First, we provide basic information on microengineering techniques, including those for reconstituting organoids with organ-level functions. We then focus on recent advances in microengineered organoids with better morphological, physiological, and functional characteristics than conventionally developed organoids. We believe that microengineered organoids possessing organ-level functions in vitro will enable widespread studies in the field of biological sciences and have clinical applications.