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Protocol for Human Blastoids Modeling Blastocyst Development and Implantation
Published on: August 10, 2022
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Rescuing ocular development in an anophthalmic pig by blastocyst complementation.
Hongyong Zhang1,2,3, Jiaojiao Huang1,2,3, Zechen Li4
1State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
EMBO Molecular Medicine
|November 18, 2018
Summary
Researchers successfully regenerated an intact eye in a pig model using blastocyst complementation. This breakthrough in regenerative medicine offers a potential solution for organ transplantation by generating complex organs from donor cells.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Developmental Biology
- Xenotransplantation
Background:
- Shortage of human donor organs necessitates alternative strategies like porcine xenotransplantation.
- Blastocyst complementation using pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) offers a novel approach for regenerating organs in pigs.
- Generating complex, multi-tissue organs like the eye presents significant developmental challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of regenerating an intact eye using blastocyst complementation in a pig model.
- To demonstrate the potential of exogenous blastomeres to form complex, differentiated tissues within a developing organ.
- To explore novel insights into ocular organogenesis through a xenogeneic approach.
Main Methods:
- Utilized somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology.
- Employed an anophthalmic pig model (MITFL247S/L247S) with an empty ocular niche.
- Retrieved allogenic retinal pigmented epithelium cells (RPEs) from an E60 chimeric fetus via blastocyst complementation.
Main Results:
- Successfully regenerated all structures of an intact eye from injected donor blastomeres.
- Demonstrated the generation of differentiated functional somatic cells within the regenerated eye.
- Confirmed the successful development of a disabled organ with highly specialized tissues from exogenous cells.
Conclusions:
- Blastocyst complementation can generate complex, multi-tissue organs like the eye from exogenous cells.
- This strategy holds promise for addressing the organ shortage for transplantation.
- The system provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of ocular organogenesis.
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