Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Embryonic Stem Cells00:58

Embryonic Stem Cells

32.3K
Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.
32.3K
Embryonic Stem Cells00:57

Embryonic Stem Cells

4.9K
Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...
4.9K
Embryonic Connective Tissues01:20

Embryonic Connective Tissues

6.4K
During early development, the embryo forms two types of connective tissues— the mesenchyme and mucoid connective tissue.
The mesenchyme is the first connective tissue that emerges in the developing embryo. It consists of loosely arranged multipotent mesenchymal cells and reticular fibers in the extracellular matrix. This loose arrangement allows easy migration of cells, which is essential for germ layer positioning, patterning, and organ morphogenesis during embryonic development.
6.4K
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells01:13

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

28.0K
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different types of cells. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell type are post-mitotic—that is, they no longer divide. However, scientists have found a way to reprogram these mature cells so that they “de-differentiate” and return to an unspecialized, proliferative state. These cells are also pluripotent like embryonic stem cells—able to produce all cell types—and are therefore...
28.0K
Plant Cells and Tissues02:01

Plant Cells and Tissues

65.6K
Plant tissues are collections of similar cells performing related functions. Different plant tissues will have their own specialized roles and can be combined with other tissues to form organs such as flowers, fruit, stem, and leaves. Two major types of plant tissue include meristematic and permanent tissue.
65.6K
What are Cells?01:07

What are Cells?

198.6K
Cells are the smallest and basic units of life, whether it is a single cell that forms the entire organism, e.g., in a bacterium or trillions of them, e.g., in humans. No matter what organism a cell is a part of, they share specific characteristics.
Basic Characteristics of Cells
A living cell has a plasma membrane, a bilayer of lipids that separates the aqueous solution inside the cell called the cytoplasm from the outside environment.
Furthermore, a living cell possesses genetic information...
198.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Morally relevant features warranting ethical oversight in human stem cell-based embryo models.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same author

A guide to using embedded ethics in human stem-cell-based embryo model research.

Nature cell biology·2026
Same author

Nuclear Dynamics in Quiescent Cells: Conserved Mechanisms from Yeasts to Mammals.

Biomolecules·2026
Same author

Challenging the Astral mass analyzer to quantify up to 5,300 proteins per single cell at unseen accuracy to uncover cellular heterogeneity.

Nature methods·2025
Same author

mTOR activity paces human blastocyst stage developmental progression.

Cell·2024
Same author

FoxO transcription factors actuate the formative pluripotency specific gene expression programme.

Nature communications·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 28, 2026

An In Vitro System to Study Tumor Dormancy and the Switch to Metastatic Growth
09:14

An In Vitro System to Study Tumor Dormancy and the Switch to Metastatic Growth

Published on: August 11, 2011

16.3K

Putting mammalian early embryonic cells into dormancy.

Dhanur P Iyer1,2, Heidar Heidari Khoei3, Nicolas Rivron3

  • 1Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany.

Nature Protocols
|January 26, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a new in vitro method to pause mammalian embryonic development, mimicking embryonic diapause. This pharmacological approach using mTOR inhibition offers a less invasive, species-spanning alternative for studying early development.

More Related Videos

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions
07:03

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions

Published on: November 6, 2016

11.0K
Invasive Behavior of Human Breast Cancer Cells in Embryonic Zebrafish
09:22

Invasive Behavior of Human Breast Cancer Cells in Embryonic Zebrafish

Published on: April 25, 2017

17.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 28, 2026

An In Vitro System to Study Tumor Dormancy and the Switch to Metastatic Growth
09:14

An In Vitro System to Study Tumor Dormancy and the Switch to Metastatic Growth

Published on: August 11, 2011

16.3K
Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions
07:03

Reliable Method for Assessing Seed Germination, Dormancy, and Mortality under Field Conditions

Published on: November 6, 2016

11.0K
Invasive Behavior of Human Breast Cancer Cells in Embryonic Zebrafish
09:22

Invasive Behavior of Human Breast Cancer Cells in Embryonic Zebrafish

Published on: April 25, 2017

17.4K

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Stem Cell Biology
  • Reproductive Technologies

Background:

  • Mammalian development normally progresses from fertilization to birth.
  • Embryonic diapause is a natural pause in development observed in many mammals.
  • Current methods to induce diapause in vivo are invasive and species-specific.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel in vitro method for inducing a diapause-like state in mammalian embryos and stem cells.
  • To establish a less invasive and potentially species-spanning technique for pausing embryonic development.
  • To facilitate research into the molecular mechanisms of developmental dormancy.

Main Methods:

  • Pharmacological inhibition of mTOR pathway in mouse blastocysts, human blastoids, and pluripotent stem cells.
  • Development of detailed in vitro culture protocols for inducing and reversing dormancy.
  • Establishment of critical parameters and experimental readouts for successful dormancy induction.

Main Results:

  • Successfully induced a diapause-like dormant state in vitro across different cell types and species.
  • Demonstrated the ability to transition embryos, blastoids, and stem cells into and out of dormancy.
  • Provided detailed protocols and parameters for consistent results.

Conclusions:

  • In vitro induction of embryonic dormancy is achievable via pharmacological mTOR inhibition.
  • This method provides a valuable tool for studying developmental mechanisms and improving in vitro reproductive technologies.
  • The technique expands possibilities for pre-implantation clinical assays and research in species with limited assisted reproductive technologies.