Search Results for: synthetic embryos

Weekly reads: stembryos or human embryo models, new Macchiarini sentence

June 24, 2023 / By / Leave a Comment
stembryos, embryo models Monash

Researchers have been making stem cell-based embryo models for years now and a few folks have taken to calling these “stembryos.” Other names like gastruloids and blastoids are sometimes used too. “Embryo models” might be the simplest and best name. The embryo model research has advanced relatively quickly from very basic, not very organized structures …

Weekly reads: stembryos or human embryo models, new Macchiarini sentence Read More »

Weekly reads: fibroblasts, gene-editing, Mitalipov, personhood, embryos

August 6, 2022 / By / 1 Comment
NIH 3T3 fibroblasts ATCC

I have a soft spot for fibroblasts, perhaps because one of the first immortalized cell lines I ever grew was NIH3T3. These are mouse fibroblasts that have been immortalized. They are very useful for a variety of experiments. I used them to study an oncogene called E2A-PBX1. Experience with fibroblasts including 3T3s I was amazed …

Weekly reads: fibroblasts, gene-editing, Mitalipov, personhood, embryos Read More »

New lab-grown blastoids are strikingly similar to human embryos

March 17, 2021 / By / 2 Comments
blastoids nature paper figure 2

A new word has been added to the lexicon of human stem cell research – blastoids, aka “blastocyst-like structures.” Unlike the familiar three-layered embryo that emerges during the third week of prenatal development, the earlier blastocyst resembles a fluid-filled soccer ball, with a smear of cells on the interior face destined to develop into the …

New lab-grown blastoids are strikingly similar to human embryos Read More »

Papers on artificial embryos and muscle stem cells

February 1, 2021 / By / 1 Comment
Beccari-et-al-Nature-2018-pub-Fig-1a

If you are sick of the general news lately, I recommend turning to the wonder of cool science like the thought-provoking data in the duo of new stem cell pubs discussed below including on artificial embryos. Synthetic embryos A team led by Alfonso Martinez-Arias reports new findings in their Nature letter in the growing area …

Papers on artificial embryos and muscle stem cells Read More »

Doubts raised on key points of Nature paper on CRISPR gene editing of human embryos

February 1, 2021 / By / 11 Comments
Egli-Mitalipov-preprint

Is it possible that CRISPR gene editing actually didn’t happen in many of the human embryos in that big Nature paper that made such news a couple weeks back? Some doubts have emerged that call the main conclusions of the paper into question and argue that more definitive studies are needed to be sure. An …

Doubts raised on key points of Nature paper on CRISPR gene editing of human embryos Read More »

Synthetic embryo or embryo model tech reported in Science: how big is this?

August 18, 2022 / By / 1 Comment
progression-for-cgs_bs-1-e1488559282646

Can you make a synthetic embryo, also called an embryo model? Developmental biologist Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz has long been on the trail of this seemingly almost uncatchable quarry. With her team’s publication in Science today they took a big step forward on this path even if some major hurdles remain. You can see her discussion of …

Synthetic embryo or embryo model tech reported in Science: how big is this? Read More »

Weekly reads: new Sergiu Pasca pub, CRISPR chicken, human gene count update, stem cells in China

October 14, 2023 / By / Leave a Comment
Sergiu Pasca, assembloid

Most of us have heard of organoids but what about the related model called an “assembloid”, which is a term growing in use including from organoid researcher Sergiu Pasca of Stanford? Before we jump into that, be sure to enter The Niche stem cell image contest for your chance to win $100 or some swag. …

Weekly reads: new Sergiu Pasca pub, CRISPR chicken, human gene count update, stem cells in China Read More »

Weekly reads: MD Stem Cells, embryo models & headaches, cell therapy trial updates

July 2, 2023 / By / Leave a Comment
dr. jeffrey weiss, MD Stem Cells

There is still plenty of reason to worry about unproven stem cells being marketed in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world. I’ll start with a new item here in the U.S. on a firm called MD Stem Cells and end with a newly published paper about how things are going in Poland on this …

Weekly reads: MD Stem Cells, embryo models & headaches, cell therapy trial updates Read More »

‘We don’t want to freak people out’: about that Jacob Hanna human embryo model startup

August 18, 2022 / By / 5 Comments
Jacob Hanna Renewal Bio

Stem cell biologist Jacob Hanna has a new startup called Renewal Bio. Its goal is to harvest cells or tissues from human embryo or fetus models for clinical use. I believe that their commercial ambitions have so far outstripped careful thought and discussion in the broader community of researchers. There are major risks here for …

‘We don’t want to freak people out’: about that Jacob Hanna human embryo model startup Read More »

When does a human embryo model become the real thing & other tough questions for a new field

August 18, 2022 / By / 2 Comments
human embryo model mukul tewary sm

A human embryo model is a laboratory-produced collection of living cells that has some key things in common with real human embryos. They are made from pluripotent stem cells, which include embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells. This research is both exciting and ethically complicated, raising some difficult questions. Embryo …

When does a human embryo model become the real thing & other tough questions for a new field Read More »