Modeling Somitogenesis and Axial Development In Vitro with Axioloids

Area of Science:

• Developmental Biology
• Stem Cell Biology
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Human somitogenesis and axial development are complex processes difficult to study in vivo.
• Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) offer a promising avenue for in vitro modeling.
• Axioloids are novel 3D structures derived from PSCs that recapitulate key developmental events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a detailed protocol for generating axioloids from PSCs.
• To establish axioloids as a robust in vitro model for human axial development.
• To facilitate the study of congenital disorders affecting the spine and axial skeleton.

Main Methods:

• Derivation of axioloids from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs).
• Characterization of axioloids for key developmental features: axial elongation, somite formation, rostrocaudal patterning, segmentation clock activity, signaling gradients (FGF/WNT, retinoic acid), and HOX gene expression.
• In vitro recapitulation of somitogenesis and early axis development.

Main Results:

• Axioloids successfully model human somitogenesis and early axial development in vitro.
• These 3D structures exhibit essential morphogenetic features, including epithelial somite formation and rostrocaudal patterning.
• Axioloids reproduce in vivo-like spatiotemporal signaling gradients and HOX gene expression patterns.

Conclusions:

• Axioloids represent a versatile and reproducible platform for studying human axial development.
• This model system is valuable for investigating congenital disorders of the spine and axial skeleton.
• The provided protocol enables standardized generation and characterization of axioloids for research purposes.