Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Nature Cell Biology, 26(11), 1984–1996. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-024-01526-4 Dr. Miriana Dardano et al.
Points
- Researchers developed a blood-generating heart-forming organoid (BG-HFO) using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), mimicking early heart and blood cell development.
- The BG-HFO recapitulates cardiac, endothelial, and hematopoietic tissue co-development, resembling primitive and definitive hematopoiesis.
- The organoid, formed over 10-14 days, includes seven cell types, including heart, vasculature, and blood-forming cells, advancing our understanding of heart and blood vessel interactions.
- BG-HFO can model disease mechanisms, test pharmaceutical agents, and investigate conditions like cardiovascular diseases and virus-induced damage, including from COVID-19.
- This organoid provides a powerful platform for studying human hematopoiesis, cardiac development, and drug testing, aiding basic and applied research.
Summary
In a recent study, researchers at the Leibniz Research Laboratories for Biotechnology and Artificial Organs (LEBAO) at Hannover Medical School developed a novel blood-generating heart-forming organoid (BG-HFO) that combines heart and blood vessel development with hematopoiesis. Using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), they successfully created a three-dimensional organoid model that mirrors the early stages of human heart development and blood cell formation. The BG-HFO contains a mesenchyme-embedded hemogenic endothelial layer, which supports the generation of hematopoietic progenitor cells with erythro-myeloid and lymphoid potential, closely resembling aspects of primitive and definitive hematopoiesis. This model recapitulates the co-development of cardiac, endothelial, and multipotent hematopoietic tissues, providing valuable insights into organ and blood development mechanisms in the human body.
The researchers utilized a specialized differentiation protocol to establish this novel model, which involves adding key biological factors and signals to guide the development of the organoid. Over 10 to 14 days, the hPSCs were directed to form a complex structure comprising seven distinct cell types: heart, vasculature, and blood-forming. This achievement significantly advances the understanding of how heart and blood vessel tissues interact during development. The team also demonstrated that the BG-HFO could be used to study disease mechanisms and test pharmaceutical agents, offering a potential platform for understanding cardiovascular diseases, such as those induced by viral infections like COVID-19 and other conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels.
The study’s findings have substantial implications for basic science and medical research. By providing a model that closely mimics the development of human tissues, the BG-HFO offers a powerful tool for investigating hematopoiesis and cardiac development in vitro. Additionally, this model may serve as a basis for future research on diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels, improving the ability to test drug candidates and understand complex biological interactions within human organs.
Link to the article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-024-01526-4
References Dardano, M., Kleemiß, F., Kosanke, M., Lang, D., Wilson, L., Franke, A., Teske, J., Shivaraj, A., de la Roche, J., Fischer, M., Lange, L., Schambach, A., Drakhlis, L., & Zweigerdt, R. (2024). Blood-generating heart-forming organoids recapitulate co-development of the human haematopoietic system and the embryonic heart. Nature Cell Biology, 26(11), 1984–1996. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-024-01526-4
