CRISPR Knock-Ins in Organoids to Track Tumor Cell Subpopulations

Abstract

The integration of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing techniques with organoid technology has revolutionized the field of tumor modeling, enabling the creation of diverse tumor models with distinct mutational profiles. This protocol details the application of CRISPR knock-ins to engineer tumor organoids with reporter cassettes, which are regulated by endogenous promoters of specific genes of interest. This approach facilitates the precise fluorescent labeling, isolation, and subsequent manipulation of targeted tumor cell subpopulations. The utilization of these knock-in reporter cassettes not only allows the visualization and purification of specific tumor cell subsets but also enables conditional cell ablation and lineage tracing studies. In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive guide for the design, construction, delivery, and validation of CRISPR/Cas9 tools tailored for knock-in reporter cassette integration into specific marker genes of interest. By following this protocol, researchers can harness the potential of engineered tumor organoids to decipher intricate tumor heterogeneity, track metastatic trajectories, and unveil novel therapeutic vulnerabilities linked to specific tumor cell subpopulations.