In Situ Detection of Kidney Organoid Generation From Stem Cells Using a Simple Electrochemical Method

Organoids that mimic the structural and cellular characteristics of kidneys in vitro have recently emerged as a promising source for biomedical research. However, uncontrollable cellular heterogeneity after differentiation often results in the generation of off‐target cells, one of the most challenging issues in organoid research. This study proposes a new method that enables the real‐time assessment of kidney organoids derived from stem cells. When placed on a conductive surface, these organoids generate unique electrochemical signals at ≈0.3 V with intensities proportional to the amount of kidney‐specific cell types. Off‐target cells (i.e., non‐kidney cells) produce an electrical signature at 0 V that is distinguishable from other surrounding cell types, enabling non‐destructive assessment of both the differentiation, and maturation levels of kidney organoids. The developed platform can be applied to other types of organoids and is thus highly promising as a tool for organoid‐based drug screening, toxicity assessment, and therapeutics. The developed conductive cell culture platform enables the detection of initial pluripotent stem cell numbers and kidney organoid generation in vitro. Both kidney‐specific and off‐target cells are detectable electrochemically in a label‐free and non‐destructive manner. This proposed platform can be extended as a tool for organoid‐based rapid drug screening and is thus highly promising in pharmacological research.