Amazing stuff! Potentially, a break through!
"The investigators started with macaque embryonic stem cells, which they exposed to a number of growth factors in cell culture. These factors induced the stem cells to form embryo-like structures for the first time using non-human primate cells.
... also called blastoids, were found to have similar morphology to natural blastocysts. As they further developed in vitro, they formed arrangements that looked like the amnion and yolk sac. The blastoids also started to form the types of cells that eventually make up the three germ layers of the body. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that the different types of cells found within the structures had similar gene expression patterns to cells found in natural blastocysts or post-implantation embryos.
The blastoids were then transferred into the uteruses of 8 female monkeys; in 3 of the 8, the structures implanted. This implantation resulted in the release of progesterone and chorionic gonadotropin, hormones normally associated with pregnancy. The blastoids also formed early gestation sacs, fluid-filled structures that develop early in pregnancy to enclose an embryo and amniotic fluid. However, they did not form fetuses and the structures disappeared after about a week. ..."
From the highlights and absract:
"Highlights
• Generation of cynomolgus monkey blastoids using naive ESCs [embryonic stem cells] and optimized protocol
• Monkey blastoids showed similar morphology and lineage composition to blastocysts
• In vitro cultured monkey blastoids recapitulate gastrulation to three germ layers
• In vivo transplantation of monkey blastoids triggers pregnancy with gestation sacs
Summary
Human stem cell-derived blastoids display similar morphology and cell lineages to normal blastocysts. However, the ability to investigate their developmental potential is limited. Here, we construct cynomolgus monkey blastoids resembling blastocysts in morphology and transcriptomics using naive ESCs. These blastoids develop to embryonic disk with the structures of yolk sac, chorionic cavity, amnion cavity, primitive streak, and connecting stalk along the rostral-caudal axis through prolonged in vitro culture (IVC). Primordial germ cells, gastrulating cells, visceral endoderm/yolk sac endoderm, three germ layers, and hemato-endothelial progenitors in IVC cynomolgus monkey blastoids were observed by single-cell transcriptomics or immunostaining. Moreover, transferring cynomolgus monkey blastoids to surrogates achieves pregnancies, as indicated by progesterone levels and presence of early gestation sacs. Our results reveal the capacity of in vitro gastrulation and in vivo early pregnancy of cynomolgus monkey blastoids, providing a useful system to dissect primate embryonic development without the same ethical concerns and access challenges in human embryo study."
Graphical abstract
No comments:
Post a Comment