Development of Liver Cancer Organoids: Reproducing Tumor Microenvironment and Advancing Research for Liver Cancer Treatment

Abstract

Liver cancer a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, yet understanding of its development mechanism remains limited, and treatment barriers present substantial challenges. Owing to the heterogeneity of tumors, traditional 2D culture models are inadequate for capturing the complexity and diversity of tumor biology and understanding of the disease. Organoids have garnered considerable attention because of their ability to self-renew and develop functional structures in vitro that closely resemble those of human organs. This review explores the history of liver organoids, their cellular origins, techniques of constructing tumor microenvironments that recapitulate liver cancer organoids, and the biological and clinical applications of liver and liver cancer organoids and explores the current challenges related to liver cancer organoid applications and potentially valuable solutions, with the aim of facilitating the construction of in vitro clinical models of liver cancer therapeutic research.