Patologia Diagnóstica: Acesso Aberto

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Intestinal Epithelial Organoids: A Platform for Discovering Mucosal Healing Drug Candidates for the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Qin Yan, Arong Gaowa, Eiji Kawamoto, Eun Jeong Park and Motomu Shimaoka

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic, remitting inflammatory disorders of the digestive system. Intestinal epithelial dysfunction constitutes an integral part of the pathogenesis of IBD. Epithelial regeneration is a complex process, and the healing of injured tissue requires the resolution of inflammation followed by the proper and rapid proliferation of epithelial cell groups involving stem cell activation and mobilization. In recent years, an in vitro culture method for intestinal epithelial stem cells has been established. Known as “organoid culture”, this novel culture system regenerates differentiated crypt lineages and reflects the architecture of intestinal mucosa. The mechanisms for controlling the growth and differentiation of intestinal epithelium have been investigated at the molecular level. Furthermore, this approach has been used for studying various intestinal diseases including cancer, based on the fact that functional abnormality of intestinal epithelium contributes to the development of infectious diseases. Therefore, using organoid culture to investigate the mucosal healing of IBD by identifying the molecule that controls the regenerative response induced by intestinal epithelial stem cells may lead to potent therapies for IBD patients.