Organoids as a research tool in animal breeding and nutrition

Samenvatting

In vitro miniaturized and simplified three-dimensional versions of an organ, commonly known as organoids, are an important innovative key technology in human and, more recently, animal research. So far, the in vitro organoid system has been applied on a small number of animals in a research setting. However, to apply the in vitro organoid system on a larger scale for industrial purposes, a high throughput system needs to be developed. The major aim of this research is to pave the way for a high throughput in vitro organoid system of the pig intestinal tract to be used in animal breeding, nutrition, and health. We developed high throughput tools to generate organoids from pig intestines on a large scale. We also looked at different applications addressing intestinal functionality, which allow to accurately phenotype animals for complex traits. Organoid research enables animal breeding companies to switch more quickly towards less animal testing.