3D organoids derived from the small intestine: An emerging tool for drug transport research

Abstract Small intestine in vitro models play a crucial role in drug transport research. Although conventional 2D cell culture models, such as Caco-2 monolayer, possess many advantages, they should be interpreted with caution because they have relatively poor physiologically reproducible phenotypes and functions. With the development of 3D culture technology, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and adult somatic stem cells (ASCs) show remarkable self-organization characteristics, which leads to the development of intestinal organoids. Based on previous studies, this paper reviews the application of intestinal 3D organoids in drug transport mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp), breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2). The advantages and limitations of this model are also discussed. Although there are still many challenges, intestinal 3D organoid model has the potential to be an excellent tool for drug transport research.