An interview with Prof. Aline Miller, BSc(Hons) PhD FRSC FInstP, Chief Executive Office, Director and Founder, Manchester BIOGEL

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Please give an overview of organoids. Why are they an important research model?

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Organoids are 3-dimensional (3D) clusters of stem cells that come together and emulate the microenvironment within individual organs, whether that be liver, kidney, heart, gut or other specific organs. Essentially, they can be viewed as miniature, simplified organs. They typically range in size from a few micrometers to five millimeter and there are potentially as many different organoids as there are different tissues and organs in the body. Such a diverse range of organoids can form by controlling the differentiation of the specific stem cell used, which can be influenced by the cells receiving instructive signals from the 3D extracellular matrix (ECM), the medium and once the 3D structure assembles, by the cells present in the organoids themselves. […]

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