From cells to pregnancy: Applications of placental organoids in translational research.

The development of trophoblast organoids (TOs) has revolutionized placental research by providing proliferative, three-dimensional systems recapitulating the key aspects of placental architecture and function. These models have become invaluable tools for studying trophoblast differentiation and early placental development. Importantly, TOs also offer new opportunities for investigating mechanisms underlying pregnancy-related disorders such as preeclampsia or fetal growth restriction, and host-pathogen interactions, advancing our understanding of how infections impact early pregnancy. However, the relevance and translatability of experimental outcomes strongly depend on aligning the research question with the most appropriate model system. Despite their potential, current models still lack critical physiological components, including vascular and immune elements. This review discusses TOs application in translational science and highlights future directions toward integrating these systems into more complex microphysiological platforms to better model human placental function and disease. These advances not only deepen our understanding of placental biology but also pave the way for clinically relevant applications, notably to guide therapeutic interventions in pregnancy-related disorders.