Brain Organoids, Lessons from Fetal Neocortex Formation, and Rational Design for Quality Control

Recent widespread adoption of cerebral organoid protocols has led to many new studies assessing the human-specific features of neural diseases. However, not all organoid studies employ proper quality control, which limits the physiological relevance of their findings. Here, we discuss the stages of in vivo neocortex formation and how those stages are recapitulated in organoid protocols. We then present the first guide for real-time operator removal of maldeveloped organoids in shaking culture. Finally, we show preliminary work on an organoid imaging and mesofluidic control platform for automated quality control of organoid development. Taken together, this approach for assessing the morphological features of organoids will improve the rigor and reproducibility of organoid studies, increase effect sizes of physiologically relevant disease etiology, and pave the way for cortical organoid GMP in high-throughput.