Pig blastocyst-like structure models from embryonic stem cells.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Stem Cell Research
• Animal Science

Background:

• Pluripotent stem cells can model early embryonic development in vitro.
• Embryo models are valuable for studying developmental processes and improving livestock breeding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To generate blastoids from porcine embryonic stem cells (pESCs).
• To establish a method for in vitro modeling of early pig embryogenesis.
• To explore applications in improving livestock breeding practices.

Main Methods:

• Derivation of pESCs using a novel culture medium (4FIXY).
• Development of a 3D two-step differentiation strategy for blastoid generation.
• Characterization of blastoids via morphology, cell lineage, and single-cell transcriptomics.

Main Results:

• Successful generation of porcine blastoids from pESCs.
• Porcine blastoids closely resemble natural blastocysts in morphology, size, and cell composition.
• Blastoids maintain viability and expand for over two weeks in vitro under tested conditions.

Conclusions:

• Porcine blastoids represent a viable model for studying early embryogenesis in pigs.
• This advancement offers potential for improving breeding strategies in large animal species.
• In vitro embryo models from pESCs can significantly contribute to developmental biology and animal science research.