A team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has successfully cultured embryo-like structures in
In their experiments, Chinese researchersWe cultured macaque embryonic stem cells in vitro (in vitro) and added various growth factors to the culture. This led to the formation of blastoids, embryonic structures similar to the blastocyst stage of natural embryos.
Scheme of the experiment. Image: Jie Li et al., Cell Stem Cell
The blastoids gave rise to the yolk sac andfurther developed into true embryo-like cells, which under normal conditions lead to the development of three embryonic germ layers. In mammals, these layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) form all parts of the fetal body, from the skin to the heart and nervous system.
The researchers used RNA sequencing,to compare gene expression in cultured embryo structures with that observed in natural blastocysts. The analysis showed a striking similarity between them, and this prompted them to further test the cultured embryo on eight female monkeys.
They successfully implanted embryonicstructures (at the blastoid stage) into the uterus of three female monkeys. Although the implanted blastoids activated the release of pregnancy hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin and progesterone, none of them developed into a fetus. The researchers will continue to work on an embryo culture system to produce monkeys from stem cells.
Researchers note that for ethical reasonsstudies of human embryos are significantly difficult. The cultivation of monkey embryos, close relatives of Homo sapiens, can fill in the gaps in understanding of human embryonic development.
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