Reconstructing the interface between the human intestine and immune system: potential to advance mechanistic studies in IgA nephropathy

Organoids are 3-dimensional cell clusters, derived from pluripotent or adult stem cells, that self-organize into tissue- or organ-like structures enriched for cell types of the cognate tissue/organ. Although current organoids represent a valuable tool for understanding human development and disease, the lack of a native tissue microenvironment has limited their usefulness in recapitulating pathophysiological processes that involve “generic” cell types, such as vascular endothelial cells and immune cells.