A modular platform for automated organoid culture and longitudinal imaging

TL;DR

A new modular platform automates organoid culture and imaging, improving research in disease modeling and drug testing.

Contribution

The platform integrates automated feeding, real-time imaging, and environmental control without needing a conventional incubator.

Findings

The platform maintains metabolic stability and media distribution in cerebral organoids over time.

The PDMS/glass chip preserves incubation conditions while enabling precise monitoring.

The system enhances reproducibility and supports longitudinal studies in organoid research.

Abstract

Organoids, 3D tissue cultures that mimic real organs, offer valuable models for research. Traditional culture methods rely on manual feeding and orbital shakers, making them labor-intensive and inconsistent. Microfluidic systems have shown their potential to improve reproducibility by controlling media exchange and culture conditions, yet most still require standard incubators, which limit continuous monitoring due to space and humidity constraints. To address this, we developed a modular platform that integrates automated feeding, real-time imaging, and environmental control, eliminating the need for a conventional incubator. A key feature is a vertically oriented PDMS/glass chip that supports precise media delivery and monitoring while preserving incubation conditions, making it ideal for morphological studies. We demonstrated the platform’s ability to maintain metabolic stability and media distribution over time using cerebral organoids. This platform improves organoid research by combining microfluidics, automation, and imaging, enhancing disease modeling, drug testing, and regenerative medicine applications.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-026-40231-0.

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