The polarity of organoids, characterized by the asymmetric distribution of cellular components and functions, plays a vital role in their proper development and functionality. Traditionally, organoids cultured in animal-based extracellular matrices (ECMs), often exhibited apical-in polarity. This limitation hindered their application in critical research areas, including host-drug interactions, intestinal host-microbiome studies, and nutrient uptake through epithelial cells, etc. To address this, various methods were developed to try to reverse the polarity morphology of an apical-in organoids to an apical-out organoids. However, these approaches required harvesting organoids from the ECM and transferring them to suspension cultures, which altered the mechanical and bio-functional signals of the microenvironment and cannot support for long-term culture

In this webinar, Dr. Kalhara Menikdiwela from TheWell Bioscience will discuss using the xeno-free VitroGel® system to culture organoids with apical-out polarity while supporting long-term growth in vitro. Our findings demonstrated that organoids cultured in VitroGel® exhibit apical-out polarity, in contrast to the apical-in polarity observed in animal-based hydrogels. Furthermore, organoids cultured in VitroGel® demonstrated stable and controlled growth over time, unlike the fast uncontrolled organoid growth (recapitulating growth patterns similar to tumors) commonly seen in animal-based hydrogels. Importantly, VitroGel® supported long-term organoid growth (over 60 days), a feat unachievable with traditional animal-based hydrogel systems.