Organoids are systems derived from pluripotent stem cells at the interface between traditional monolayer cultures and in vivo animal models. The structural and functional characteristics of organoids enable the modelling of early stages of brain development in a physiologically relevant 3D environment. Moreover, organoids constitute a tool with which to analyse how individual genetic variation contributes to the susceptibility and progression of neurodevelopmental disorders. This Roadmap article describes the features of brain organoids, focusing on the neocortex, and their advantages and limitations — in comparison with other model systems — for the study of brain development, evolution and disease. We highlight avenues for enhancing the physiological relevance of brain organoids by integrating bioengineering techniques and unbiased high-throughput analyses, and discuss future applications. As organoids advance in mimicking human brain functions, we address the ethical and societal implications of this technology.

类器官是源自传统单层培养物和体内动物模型之间界面的多能干细胞的系统。类器官的结构和功能特征能够在生理相关的 3D 环境中对大脑发育的早期阶段进行建模。此外，类器官构成了一种工具，用于分析个体遗传变异如何导致神经发育障碍的易感性和进展。这篇路线图文章描述了大脑类器官的特征，重点介绍了新皮层，以及它们与其他模型系统相比在研究大脑发育、进化和疾病方面的优势和局限性。我们强调了通过整合生物工程技术和无偏倚的高通量分析来提高脑类器官生理相关性的途径，并讨论了未来的应用。随着类器官在模拟人脑功能方面取得进展，我们解决了这项技术的伦理和社会影响。