Summary of the science
Scientists have discovered that cells can form tiny, three-dimensional, functioning cell systems in the lab, known as organoids. They behave similarly to real organs, like the brain, and are therefore extremely useful in medical research. In this case, they allow scientists at the Arlotta Lab to observe human brain development in great detail, without needing a human patient. Some organoids are grown using several donor stem cells, which is why they are referred to as 'chimeroids'. This word originates from 'chimera', which in science refers to an organism that is made up of cells from two or more individuals.
About the research
The Paula Arlotta lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that underly neuronal diversity in the cerebral cortex. They utilise in vitro 3D cerebral organoids to model complex human cortical development and pathology. Some organoids are termed 'chimeroids', as they are created using pluripotent stem cells from several donors, usually from individuals or patients with neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions. Chimeroids allow them to observe how these individual differences play a role in the development of a neurological disease.
About the illustration
We wanted to highlight that chimeroids refer to organoids, that have been created using stem cells from several donors, so we utilised contrasting colours to differentiate between cells of different individuals. We didn't want to overcomplicate it, so we only used two different colours. To further emphasise the aspect of inter-individual variation, we chose to include several versions of the chimeroid, with different coloured patterns.