For the first time, researchers have developed a model of a human embryo from stem cells. If this model is not destined to become a viable fetus, it may eventually be used to understand the causes of malformations and human congenital diseases.
- Creating a human embryo model could help better understand congenital diseases
This is a great advance in the field of genetics that could tell us a lot about the early stages of human development.
For the first time, scientists from the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with the Hubrecht Institute in the Netherlands, have just developed a new model of the human embryo in the laboratory using human embryonic stem cells. Their work has just been published in the magazine Nature.
This model, which partially resembles a human embryo at around 18-21 days old, should allow researchers to observe and understand the causes of human birth defects and diseases and, ultimately, to develop tests for women. pregnant.
“Our model reproduces part of a human planexplains Professor Alfonso Martinez-Arias of the Department of Genetics at the University of Cambridge, who led the study. It is exciting to observe developmental processes that until now have been hidden from view — and from study..”
No possible breach of ethics
In their report published Thursday, June 11 in Nature, the researchers describe the method used on human embryonic stem cells to generate a 3D assembly of cells. This process, called gastrulation, allows the formation of three distinct layers of cells, the gastruloids which, if development were completed, would constitute the different tissues of the human body.
Gastrulation is often referred to as the “black box” period of human development because legal restrictions prevent the cultivation of human embryos in the laboratory beyond the 14and day. However, explain the researchers, many congenital malformations appear during this period, caused in particular by alcohol, drugs, chemicals and infections. A better understanding of human gastrulation could also shed light on other issues such as infertility, miscarriages and genetic disorders.
To create gastruloids in the laboratory, the scientific team assembled human embryonic stem cells in the laboratory, where they formed tight aggregates. After creating similar models in mouse and zebrafish embryos, this is the first time such a process has been observed in human embryos.
These are embryonic beginnings, unable to develop into a fully formed embryo. Gastruloids do not have brain cells or any of the tissues necessary for implantation in the uterus.
Better understand congenital malformations
In contrast, their study found that at 72 hours of development, gene expression gave rise to important body cells like chest muscles, bones and cartilage. That is a development equivalent to that of a human embryo aged 18 to 21 days.
“This is an extremely exciting new model system, which will allow us to reveal and probe the processes of early human embryonic development for the first time in the laboratory.says Dr. Naomi Moris, from the Department of Genetics at the University of Cambridge, and first author of the report. Our system is a first step towards modeling the emergence of the blueprint of the human body, and could prove useful for studying what happens when things go wrong, such as in birth defects..”
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