Transplantable human thyroid organoids generated from embryonic stem cells to rescue hypothyroidism

Abstract

The function of the thyroid gland is to capture iodide in order to synthesize hormones that act on almost all tissues and are essential for normal growth and metabolism. Low plasma levels of thyroid hormones lead to hypothyroidism, which is one of the most common disorder in humans which is not always satisfactorily treated by lifelong hormone replacement. Therefore, in addition to the lack of in vitro tractable models to study human thyroid development, differentiation and maturation, there is a need for new therapeutic approaches that involve replacement of thyroid tissue responsive to changing demands for thyroid hormone. Here we report the first transplantable thyroid organoids derived from human embryonic stem cells capable of restoring plasma thyroid hormone to athyreotic mice as a proof of concept for future therapeutic development.