Human hindbrain organoids with segment-specific 5-HT neurons for motor modulation

Zhu, J.; Pang, W.; Liu, Y.; Yin, Y.; Wei, J.; Lu, X.; Jiang, L.; Zhou, W.; Cao, Y.; Zhang, Q.; Chen, S.; Chu, S.; Ji, Z.; Hong, D.; Li, Y.; Tao, Y.; Zhang, X.; Chen, C.; Xiang, Y.

doi:10.64898/2026.05.27.726154

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.05.27.726154

Human hindbrain organoids with segment-specific 5-HT neurons for motor modulation

Zhu, J.·Pang, W.·Liu, Y.·Yin, Y.·Wei, J.·Lu, X.·Jiang, L.·Zhou, W.·Cao, Y.·Zhang, Q.·Chen, S.·Chu, S.·Ji, Z.·Hong, D.·Li, Y.·Tao, Y.·Zhang, X.·Chen, C.·Xiang, Y.

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Abstract

The serotonergic system regulates human mood, reward, and motor control, and its impairment contributes to debilitating psychiatric disorders. Serotonergic neurons (SNs) arise predominantly in the hindbrain and acquire segment-specific identities and functions; however, the lack of human models remains a challenge to understanding the human serotonergic system. Here, we generate human serotonergic-enriched rostral and caudal hindbrain organoids (hsrHOs and hscHOs) that produce segment-specific SNs with regional identities corresponding to rhombomeres r2-r3 and r5-r8, respectively. hsrHOs and hscHOs produce SNs that recapitulate their in vivo counterparts in transcriptomic profiles, function, and ascending or descending projection preferences. Assembly with human neuromusculoskeletal organoids enables modeling of serotonergic modulation of motor control. This system further reveals that deficiency of the schizophrenia risk gene DISC1 disrupts human serotonergic development and impairs motor modulation. Together, our study establishes a human organoid platform for modeling development, circuit function and disease-associated dysfunction of the serotonergic modulatory system.

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Zhu, J., Pang, W., Liu, Y., Yin, Y., Wei, J., Lu, X., Jiang, L., Zhou, W., Cao, Y., Zhang, Q., Chen, S., Chu, S., Ji, Z., Hong, D., Li, Y., Tao, Y., Zhang, X., Chen, C., Xiang, Y.. 2026-05-29. Human hindbrain organoids with segment-specific 5-HT neurons for motor modulation. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.05.27.726154

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