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In vitro modeling of early mammalian embryogenesis
Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis1, Eric D Siggia2, Mijo Simunovic2,3
1Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Current Opinion in Biomedical Engineering
|May 23, 2020
Summary
Synthetic embryology uses stem cells to model early mammalian development, revealing self-organization in engineered systems. Further research aims to control assembly and understand cell potency for human applications.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Synthetic Biology
Background:
- Synthetic embryology aims to replicate early mammalian development using stem cells.
- Engineered systems offer a way to study the molecular and tissue contributions to embryogenesis.
- Previous experiments showed self-organization in mouse stem cell models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advances in stem cell derivation for synthetic embryology.
- To highlight methods for reconstructing developmental processes in 3D cultures.
- To discuss the need for better control and understanding of cell states in synthetic systems.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent literature on embryonic and extra-embryonic stem cell derivation.
- Analysis of studies reconstructing structural and signaling aspects of embryogenesis.
- Examination of self-organization in engineered stem cell systems.
Main Results:
- Engineered stem cell systems exhibit self-organization comparable to early mouse development.
- Advances in stem cell derivation and 3D culture techniques are enabling more complex models.
- Understanding cell potency and improving assembly control are key for future progress.
Conclusions:
- Synthetic embryology provides a powerful platform to dissect developmental mechanisms.
- Translating mouse findings to human development requires improved control and cell state characterization.
- Further integration of stem cell biology and developmental biology is crucial for the field.
