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Author Spotlight: Optimizing the Neurovascular Development of Human Brain Organoid in Chick Embryo
Published on: February 16, 2024
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Chick Models and Human-Chick Organizer Grafts
Iain Martyn1,2, Tatiane Y Kanno1, Ali H Brivanlou3
1Laboratory of Molecular Vertebrate Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|June 9, 2019
Summary
The chick embryo is a valuable model for vertebrate development and interspecies chimera research. Human embryonic stem cell-derived organizers transplanted into chicks can form notochord and induce neural tissue development in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Comparative Biology
Background:
- The chick embryo is an accessible and cost-effective model organism for studying vertebrate development.
- Its unique characteristics make it suitable for interspecies chimera experiments, particularly for mammalian stem cell research.
- Understanding mammalian stem cell behavior in vivo is crucial for regenerative medicine and developmental studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a methodology for creating human-chick chimeras using human embryonic stem cell-derived gastruloids.
- To investigate the self-organization and contribution of human organizer cells within a chick host.
- To explore the potential of chick embryos as a host for studying mammalian stem cell differentiation and tissue induction.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived gastruloids with a human organizer.
- Transplantation of these gastruloids into developing chick embryos.
- Analysis of the contribution of human cells and induction of host chick cells in chimeras.
Main Results:
- Human organizer cells successfully self-organized within the chick embryo.
- Human cells contributed directly to the formation of notochord-like structures.
- Host chick cells were indirectly induced by human cells to differentiate into neural tissues.
Conclusions:
- Human-chick chimeras provide a powerful system for studying human stem cell behavior and developmental potential in a live vertebrate host.
- This methodology enables in vivo investigation of human organizer function and its capacity to pattern host tissues.
- The chick embryo serves as a valuable platform for advancing mammalian stem cell research and understanding early human development.
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