Biomimetic olfactory sensor based on uniform OE organoids

Olfaction is one of the most crucial senses in mammals and is intricately related to survival and reproduction. The development of biomimetic olfactory sensors is of significant importance for researching the mechanisms and treatments of olfactory dysfunction. Olfactory basal cells, acting as olfactory stem cells, exhibit splendid regenerative capacity to replenish damaged or dead olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Here, we constructed a biomimetic olfactory sensor by combining basal cell-derived olfactory epithelium (OE) organoids and a microelectrode array (MEA) chip. Notably, unlike the traditional cultivation of organoids in Matrigel, we used a low-adhesion U-shaped-bottom well plate for high-throughput organoid culture. The organoids obtained through this method exhibit more uniform, stable, and reproducible sizes and qualities. The results of immunofluorescence staining and electrophysiological assays indicated that in vitro cultured basal cell-derived OE organoids had similar structure and function to the in vivo OE tissue. This biomimetic olfactory sensor provides a new in vitro model for investigating the mechanisms of olfactory dysfunction and new therapeutic approaches.