Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Human Blastocyst Biopsy and Vitrification
Published on: July 26, 2019
African pygmy mouse iPSCs as a model for in vitro embryogenesis, interspecies chimerism, and blastocyst
Pjeter Gjonlleshaj1, Ajda Lenardič1, Monika Tarnowska-Sengül1
1Laboratory of Regenerative and Muscle Biology, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland.
None:
Somatic cell reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has been achieved in various mammals; however, assessing iPSC contribution to full-term chimeras beyond laboratory rodents remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate induction of pluripotency in male and female fibroblasts from the African pygmy mouse (APM), one of the smallest mammals. Using transcription factors and small molecules, we derived expandable APM-iPSCs that express pluripotency markers, differentiate into various cell types in vitro, and form gastruloids. Injection of APM-iPSCs into house mouse blastocysts generated full-term interspecies chimeras demonstrating extensive contribution to various tissues, including testicular germ cells. Notably, high APM contribution in organs such as heart and testes correlated with reduced organ size compared with mouse organs. Lastly, injection of APM-iPSCs into mouse blastocysts carrying a Pax7 ablation system enabled substantial production of APM muscle stem cells in chimeras. Collectively, this study establishes APM-iPSCs as a developmental model for pluripotency, differentiation, and interspecies chimerism.
Related Concept Videos
Complement System
Complementation Tests
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
In Vitro Drug Dissolution: Compendial Testing Models I
In Vitro Drug Dissolution: Compendial Testing Models II
Mouse Models of Cancer Study
The development of transgenic, knockout, and knock-in mice has led to an exponential increase in their use as model organisms in research,...
In-vitro Mutagenesis

