Generation of Brain Region-specific Organoids using a Miniaturized Spinning Bioreactor and Modelling ZIKV Exposure

Cerebral organoids, three-dimensional cultures that model organogenesis, provide a new platform to investigate human brain development. High cost, variability and tissue heterogeneity limit accessibility and broad applications of current organoid technologies. Here we developed a miniaturized spinning bioreactor (SpinΩ) to generate forebrain-specific organoids from human iPSCs. These organoids recapitulate key features of human cortical development, including progenitor zone organization, neurogenesis, gene expression, and importantly, a distinct human-specific outer radial glia cell layer. We have also developed protocols to generate midbrain and hypothalamic organoids. Finally, we employed this forebrain organoid platform to model Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure. Quantitative analyses revealed that preferential, productive ZIKA infection of cortical neural progenitors leads to increased cell death and reduced proliferation, resulting in decreased neuronal cell layer volume that resembles microcephaly. Together, our brain region-specific organoids and SpinΩ provide an accessible and versatile platform for modeling human brain development and diseases, and for compound testing.