Researchers grow ‘synthetic’ mouse embryo with brain and beating heart

Scientists say research could lead to development of organs for transplants

'Synthetic' Embryo , Breakthrough Could Help Solve , Organ Donor Shortage.'Time' reports that British scientists have successfully created a "synthetic" embryo with a brain and a beating heart.The lab-created embryo features all the foundations of the body's organs, including neural and gut tubes that protect the spine and intestines.'Time' reports that the creation could solve the donor shortage crisis and prevent miscarriages.The breakthrough could also be used to reduce the need for animal experimentation.Researchers at Cambridge University used stem cells from mice without fertilized eggs or sperm.Our mouse embryo model not only develops a brain, but also a beating heart, all the components that go on to make up the body, Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Lead author, via 'Newsweek'.This has been the dream of our community for years, and major focus of our work for a decade and finally we've done it, Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Lead author, via 'Newsweek'.The team's work has shed light on how tissues form and the causes of genetic diseases.This period of human life is so mysterious, so to be able to see how it happens in a dish–to have access to these individual stem cells, to understand why so many pregnancies fail and how we might be able to prevent that from happening–is quite special, Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Lead author, via 'Newsweek'.This period of human life is so mysterious, so to be able to see how it happens in a dish–to have access to these individual stem cells, to understand why so many pregnancies fail and how we might be able to prevent that from happening–is quite special, Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, Lead author, via 'Newsweek'.'Time' reports that the team is now developing similar human models with the potential to shed light on crucial processes involved with the development of specific organs

After more than a decade of research, University of Cambridge scientists have created “embryos from mouse stem cells that form a brain, a beating heart, and the foundations of all the other organs of the body.”

Not only could their research lead to a better understanding of why some pregnancies fail, but it could lead to the development of synthetic organs for transplants.

“Our mouse embryo model not only develops a brain, but also a beating heart, all the components that go on to make up the body,” said Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, professor in mammalian development and stem cell biology in Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience. “It’s just unbelievable that we’ve got this far. This has been the dream of our community for years, and major focus of our work for a decade and finally we’ve done it.”

To create the embryo, Zernicka-Goetz’s team took three types of stem cells present during the early development of mammals — trophoblast, extraembryonic endoderm and inducible-XEN — and guided the cells to begin “talking” to one another.

According to the university’s press release in Science Daily, the stem cells self-organized until they developed beating hearts and the foundations of a brain. In addition, they formed a yolk sac, where an embryo gets its nutrition.

What makes the Cambridge embryo different, the team wrote, was the formation of the entire brain, including the anterior portion.

“The stem cell embryo model is important because it gives us accessibility to the developing structure at a stage that is normally hidden from us due to the implantation of the tiny embryo into the mother’s womb,” Zernicka-Goetz said. “This accessibility allows us to manipulate genes to understand their developmental roles in a model experimental system.”

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