Synovial organoids: From fundamental construction to groundbreaking applications in arthritic disorders

As an emerging three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model, synovial organoids can highly mimic the structure and function of synovial tissue in vivo, providing a new and powerful tool for the research of synovial-related diseases. This article elaborated in detail on the construction of synovial organoids from the cell sources, culture systems, and construction techniques. Meanwhile, it comprehensively reviewed the application progress of synovial organoids in arthritic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis such as disease pathogenesis, drug development, and personalized therapy. Additionally, it explores current challenges and future directions for synovial organoids, providing a reference for further research and applications in related-diseases.

The Translational Potential of this Article

Synovial organoids enable direct modeling of the human synovial joint, offering a physiologically relevant platform for high-throughput drug screening. Patient-derived organoids not only facilitate the development of personalized medicine but also reduce reliance on animal studies for preclinical validation. This approach addresses ethical challenges and species-specific limitations while enhancing the translational relevance to human disease mechanisms.