Cellular self-organization in hydrogels

<p indent="0mm">Self-organization is an intrinsic property of cells, by which cells collectively, autonomously, and dynamically arrange themselves to form the complex structures of tissues and organs that possess certain function. Understanding cellular self-organization is crucial for recapitulating the development of multicellular organisms and engineering form and function. In this article, representative and pioneering studies on cellular self-organization have been reviewed. First, a historical review of self-organization has been provided, followed by hydrogels to mimic cellular microenvironments. Next, organogenesis and tumorigenesis have been used as examples to show how hydrogels could improve normal and tumor organoid culture and advance the understanding of cellular self-organization. At last, perspectives on hydrogels for further understanding and directing cellular self-organization has been discussed.