What does «organoide» mean in Spanish?
- Biology. Any of various functional structures contained in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells (prokaryotes lack most organoids). Examples of organoids are: chloroplasts, mitochondria, vacuoles, the cell nucleus, Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum. Some bibliographies include within organoids other components such as cilia, ribosomes, vesicles, etc.
- Medicine. A miniaturized and simplified version of an organ produced in vitro in three dimensions that shows a realistic microanatomy. They are derived from one or a few cells of a tissue, embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells, which can self-organize in a three-dimensional culture thanks to their capacity for self-renewal and differentiation. The organoid culture technique has improved rapidly since the early 2010s and was named by The Scientist as one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs of 2013. Scientists use organoids to study diseases and treatments in a laboratory setting.