Innovative Jawbone Organoids from Patient-Derived iPS Cells Advance Bone Disease Research and Treatments

Researchers at Kyoto University have developed a pioneering method to create jawbone-like organoids from human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. These mini-organs mimic the development and structure of the human jawbone, offering a new model to study bone diseases and potential therapies. The team, led by Associate Professor Makoto Ikeya, successfully optimized conditions to differentiate iPS cells into cranial neural crest cells (NCCs), which are critical for jawbone formation. They then induced these NCCs to develop into mandibular prominence ectomesenchyme (mdEM), an intermediate tissue resembling embryonic jaw tissue.

Using this model, the scientists cultured the mdEMs under osteo-inductive conditions, resulting in mineralized tissue clusters that demonstrate bone formation characteristics. They further transplanted these jawbone organoids into mice, where they matured into vascularized, mineralized bone tissue, confirming their potential for regenerative applications.

To explore disease modeling, the team used iPS cells from a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic disorder causing brittle bones. The organoids derived from these OI patient cells showed abnormal collagen secretion and reduced expression of osteogenic markers, mimicking disease features. Conversely, genetically corrected organoids displayed improved bone matrix formation, highlighting the potential for personalized therapeutic studies.

The research points toward the future use of these jawbone organoids for understanding developmental processes, disease mechanisms, and testing regenerative therapies. This breakthrough provides a valuable platform for advancing jawbone-related research, especially for genetic disorders like OI.

This study was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering and marks a significant step forward in bone tissue engineering and disease modeling.

For more details, see the original publication: Souta Motoike et al, Jawbone-like organoids generated from human pluripotent stem cells, Nature Biomedical Engineering (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41551-025-01419-3. Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-jawbone-organoids-patient-ips-cells.html