Gut Organoid Transplants Produce Colorectal Cancer in Mice

By implanting patient- or rodent-derived mini-guts into mice, scientists can rapidly create more-accurate murine models of the disease

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A cross section of a tumor arising in the colon of an organoid-based mouse model of colorectal cancerKEVIN O'ROURKE

In recent years, scientists have developed organoids, stem-cell-derived organs-in-a-dish, for a number of tissues, including kidneys, guts, and brains. While these mini-organs provide a useful tool to study both development and disease, many researchers still consider animal models necessary to validate the findings made in vitro. In two back-to-back studies published today (May 1) in Nature Biotechnology, scientists combined these two approaches by transplanting organoids into mice to develop a faster, more accurate murine model of colorectal cancer (CRC).

CRC is one of the most common cancers in the Unites States, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the country. Despite the need for better treatments for this disease, genetically engineered animal models of CRC are still quite limited.

“Mice, for reasons that ...

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Meet the Author

  • Diana Kwon

    Diana is a freelance science journalist who covers the life sciences, health, and academic life.
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