Research advances in construction and applications of human intestinal organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells

Animal models of intestinal diseases and two-dimensional intestinal tissue cell cultures have served as essential research tools for investigating intestinal diseases. Unlike conventional animal models for intestinal diseases, human intestinal organoids (HIOs) can lessen differences in species-specific backgrounds, costs of experiments and ethical concerns associated with animal experimentation. Human intestinal organoids have intestinal crypts and villus structures, which can simulate the structures of human intestinal tissues more realistically than simple cell culture systems. This review outlines the development of human intestinal organoids in general and methodological systems for inducing and differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into human intestinal organoids in particular. It also describes the latest advancements in applications of human intestinal organoids in terms of their roles in disease modeling, drug screening and evaluation, and tissue regeneration. An in-depth study on hiPSC-derived HIOs will not only facilitate innovative research into intestinal biology, but also offer a more biomimetic and ethically viable model platform for mechanistic studies on related diseases and clinical translation.