Stem cell-based models of early mammalian development

The complex process by which a single-celled zygote develops into a viable embryo is nothing short of a miraculous wonder of the natural world. Elucidating how this process is orchestrated in humans has long eluded the grasp of scientists due to ethical and practical limitations. Thankfully, pluripotent stem cells that resemble early developmental cell types possess the ability to mimic specific embryonic events. As such, murine and human stem cells have been leveraged by scientists to create in vitro models that aim to recapitulate different stages of early mammalian development. Here, we examine the wide variety of stem cell-based embryo models that have been developed to recapitulate and study embryonic events, from pre-implantation development through to early organogenesis. We discuss the applications of these models, key considerations regarding their importance within the field, and how such models are expected to growand evolve to achieve exciting new milestones in the future.

Automated summary

The development of a zygote into an embryo is a miraculous process in nature, but scientists have struggled to understand the mechanisms in human embryos due to ethical and practical limitations. However, pluripotent stem cells have the ability to mimic specific embryonic events, allowing the creation of in vitro models that recapitulate different stages of early embryo development.