Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison recently examined whether retinal organoid neurons derived from human pluripotent stem cells can still form synapses with one another and maintain connectivity after organoid disassembly-a necessary prerequisite for retinal neural circuit function. This necessary disruption breaks down synaptic connections and affects how the neurons function and communicate. The cells in these organoids form synapses and communicate with one another, but scientists must disassemble organoids into individual cells to produce retinal neurons. They also use these organoids to produce retinal neurons that may one day replace damaged or diseased cells in the eye. Researchers use human pluripotent stem cells to create retinal organoids-3D cellular models of the retina-to study eye development, normal vision, and degenerative diseases. These neurons communicate across synapses-the physical gaps between nerve cells that serve as transmission hubs. Specialized cells in the retina, known as photoreceptor cells, detect light and relay this information to the brain through a multilayered chain of neurons. Among the human sense organs, the eye is an elegant model of phototransduction, converting light into the electrical energy that powers vision. The human body is a dynamic vessel of sensors and transducers that translate messages from external stimuli into the electrical and chemical language of the brain.
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