Organoid application in virology research: Recent progress and emerging directions

Abstract Organoids, as in vitro three-dimensional structures derived from stem cell differentiation, have emerged as cutting-edge technologies in biomedical research due to their effectiveness in mimicking the complex architectures and physiological functions of human organs. Currently, researchers worldwide are extensively exploring the application of organoids in virology and have achieved remarkable progress. These innovations have enabled the successful cultivation of various viruses in vitro , the modeling of viral infection processes, and the clarification of cell tropism and host factor interactions. They have also advanced systematic explanations of related pathogenic mechanisms, providing an important avenue for antiviral drug screening and vaccine design. This paper elaborates on the biological characteristics of organoids, summarizes the methodologies for establishing virus-infected organoid models, and reviews advances in research on viruses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, influenza viruses, hepatitis viruses, Zika virus, and human noroviruses. This review will clarify how organoids have profoundly changed our understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of viruses and accelerated the clinical translation of antiviral strategies.