Stanford Medicine researchers have achieved a breakthrough in organoid development by successfully growing heart and liver organoids with integrated blood vessels. This advancement addresses a major limitation in organoid research—previously, these miniature biological models couldn’t grow beyond a sesame seed size due to the lack of a vascular system to deliver oxygen and nutrients.
By incorporating tiny blood vessels, these organoids can now grow larger and reach a more mature state, making them more effective for studying diseases and testing treatments. The research, led by Dr. Oscar Abilez and Dr. Huaxiao (Adam) Yang, could pave the way for regenerative therapies, potentially allowing vascularized organoids grown from a patient’s own stem cells to replace damaged tissue.
This development marks a significant step toward using organoids not just for research but also for clinical applications, such as treating heart dysfunction by implanting lab-grown cardiac tissue. The study highlights the potential of organoid-based regenerative medicine in addressing complex health conditions.
Original article from Stanford University: Advance in creating organoids could aid research, lead to treatment
Journal abstract in Science: Gastruloids enable modeling of the earliest stages of human cardiac and hepatic vascularization
