Design and realization of lung organoid cultures for COVID-19 applications

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has spread globally and threatens public health. Advanced in vitro models that recapitulate the architecture and functioning of specific tissues and organs are in high demand for COVID-19-related pathology studies and drug screening. Since three-dimensional in vitro cultures, such as self-assembled and engineered organoid cultures, surpass conventional two-dimensional cultures and animal models with respect to increased cellular complexity, an environment more relevant to humans, and reduced cost, they are promising platforms for understanding viral pathogenesis and developing new therapeutics. This review highlights the recent advances in self-assembled and engineered organoid technologies that are used for COVID-19 studies. The challenges and future perspectives are also discussed.