Article
Developmental Biology
Rebecca A. Lea, Afshan McCarthy, Stefan Boeing, Todd Fallesen, Kay Elder, Phil Snell, Leila Christie, Sarah Adkins, Valerie Shaikly, Mohamed Taranissi, Kathy K. Niakan
Summary: KLF17 is expressed during human blastocyst development along with pluripotency-associated factors NANOG and SOX2. It can induce a naive-like transcriptome in hESCs, but is not essential for naive pluripotency acquisition in vitro. Loss of KLF17 function in naive hESCs leads to subtle effects on metabolism and signaling pathways, potentially indicating redundancy with other KLF paralogues.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Mijo Simunovic, Eric D. Siggia, Ali H. Brivanlou
Summary: Due to technical and ethical limitations, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms surrounding human embryo implantation and gastrulation is limited. Researchers have proposed alternative methods, such as differentiating embryonic stem cells, to simulate aspects of human embryogenesis. However, modeling post-attachment events remains challenging. In this study, the authors suggest a strategy to assemble pre-formed epithelial epiblast and extraembryonic cells, allowing them to self-organize into a structure that mimics the attached human embryo, facilitating the study of post-attachment development.
Article
Cell Biology
Sandra Alonso-Alonso, Anna Esteve-Codina, Beatriz Martin-Mur, Lucia Alvarez-Gonzalez, Aurora Ruiz-Herrera, Josep Santalo, Elena Ibanez
Summary: Research has found that the derivation rate of embryonic stem cells from single blastomeres of 8-cell mouse embryos is lower, and there are differences in the ability of sister blastomeres to produce ESCs. Although their non-pluripotent fate can be redirected through culture conditions and cell plasticity, at least half of the blastomeres have a lower potential to generate ESCs. Lines originated from the same embryo segregate into two groups based on transcriptional signatures.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Ayaka Yanagida, Daniel Spindlow, Jennifer Nichols, Anish Dattani, Austin Smith, Ge Guo
Summary: Researchers have developed a human embryo model called blastoid through self-organization, which can form blastocyst-like structures within a short period of time, displaying three tissue layers and mimicking natural blastocysts. Single-cell transcriptome analysis confirms the high fidelity of the blastoid model, providing a versatile and scalable experimental model for human embryo research.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shengyong Yu, Chunhua Zhou, Jiangping He, Zhaokai Yao, Xingnan Huang, Bowen Rong, Hong Zhu, Shijie Wang, Shuyan Chen, Xialian Wang, Baomei Cai, Guoqing Zhao, Yuhan Chen, Lizhan Xiao, He Liu, Yue Qin, Jing Guo, Haokaifeng Wu, Zhen Zhang, Man Zhang, Xiaoyang Zhao, Fei Lan, Yixuan Wang, Jiekai Chen, Shangtao Cao, Duanqing Pei, Jing Liu
Summary: This study utilizes single-cell RNA sequencing to examine the transition process of mouse stem cells and uncovers an alternative route from primed to naive pluripotency. The researchers discover that the transition goes through a primordial germ cell-like intermediate state. Furthermore, they elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in this process, including the role of DOT1L, Gata2, and Prdm1/Blimp1.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Developmental Biology
Masaki Kinoshita, Toshihiro Kobayashi, Benjamin Planells, Doris Klisch, Daniel Spindlow, Hideki Masaki, Susanne Bornelov, Giuliano Giuseppe Stirparo, Hitomi Matsunari, Ayuko Uchikura, Ismael Lamas-Toranzo, Jennifer Nichols, Hiromitsu Nakauchi, Hiroshi Nagashima, Ramiro Alberio, Austin Smith
Summary: This study successfully established pluripotent stem cell lines from porcine, ovine, and bovine embryos without using feeder cells or serum factors. The cells showed differentiation in teratomas and in vitro, with global transcriptome analyses revealing commonality in transcription factor expression across the three species. The research also demonstrated the generation of cloned porcine fetuses using genetically modified AFX stem cells through nuclear transfer.
Article
Cell Biology
Yun Ha Hur, Shi Feng, Kristin F. Wilson, Richard A. Cerione, Marc A. Antonyak
Summary: Exposure of embryonic stem cells to extracellular vesicles derived from ESCs helps maintain their stem cell properties, preventing differentiation and preserving the ability to generate chimeric mice. These effects are mediated by fibronectin bound to the surfaces of EVs, which interact with ESC-associated integrins and activate FAK effectively.
DEVELOPMENTAL CELL
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemical Research Methods
Alejandro De los Angeles, Alan Regenberg, Victoria Mascetti, Nissim Benvenisty, George Church, Hongkui Deng, Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, Weizhi Ji, Julian Koplin, Yuin-Han Loh, Yuyu Niu, Duanqing Pei, Martin Pera, Nam Pho, Carlos Pinzon-Arteaga, Mitinori Saitou, Jose C. R. Silva, Tan Tao, Alan Trounson, Tushar Warrier, Elias T. Zambidis
Summary: The study of human-animal chimeras is important, but it faces technical and ethical challenges. This Comment discusses the future of human-monkey chimera research within the context of current scientific and regulatory obstacles.
Review
Biology
Sayali Chowdhary, Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis
Summary: The blastocyst is a significant stage in mammalian embryo development, consisting of three cell lineages formed through binary cell fate specification. During this stage, cells differentiate and mature as the embryo implants into the maternal uterus.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Seong-Min Kim, Eun-Ji Kwon, Yun-Jeong Kim, Young-Hyun Go, Ji-Young Oh, Seokwoo Park, Jeong Tae Do, Keun-Tae Kim, Hyuk-Jin Cha
Summary: This study discovered the differential roles of Shp2 in naive and primed pluripotency and proposed the usage of iShp2 instead of iMek1 for the efficient maintenance and establishment of naive pluripotency.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Review
Cell Biology
Puja Agrawal, Sridhar Rao
Summary: Cell fate decisions rely on gene expression changes mediated by regulatory elements like enhancers and CTCF binding sites. These elements play crucial roles in early mammalian development and impact cell-type specific gene expression.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Yung Su Kim, Ivan Bedzhov
Summary: This article discusses the mechanisms of cavity formation in early mouse embryonic development, and describes the formation and functions of the blastocoel and proamniotic cavity.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Irene Zorzan, Riccardo Massimiliano Betto, Giada Rossignoli, Mattia Arboit, Andrea Drusin, Clelia Corridori, Paolo Martini, Graziano Martello
Summary: In human embryos, naive pluripotent cells of the inner cell mass (ICM) generate different cell lineages, including trophoblast cells. In vitro, chemical resetting can convert conventional pluripotent stem cells into naive pluripotent stem cells, which have the potential to efficiently generate trophoblast stem cells. This method can be used to study cell fate transitions and model placental disorders.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andreas Lackner, Robert Sehlke, Marius Garmhausen, Giuliano Giuseppe Stirparo, Michelle Huth, Fabian Titz-Teixeira, Petra van Der Lelij, Julia Ramesmayer, Henry F. Thomas, Meryem Ralser, Laura Santini, Elena Galimberti, Mihail Sarov, A. Francis Stewart, Austin Smith, Andreas Beyer, Martin Leeb
Summary: Genetic screens and CRISPR/Cas9 gene disruption were used to study the regulatory circuits governing the exit from naive pluripotency in mammalian embryos. The transcriptome profiles of ESCs deficient for regulators revealed delays in the transition from naive to formative state, with gene networks conserved in primate embryos. Integrated analysis of mutant transcriptomes identified regulatory modules and the role of signalling pathways in directing this cell state transition.
Article
Immunology
Marie-Soleil R. Smith, Haneesha Mohan, Abhinav Ajaykumar, Anthony Y. Y. Hsieh, Lou Martineau, Ronil Patel, Izabella Gadawska, Christopher Sherwood, Lena Serghides, James M. Piret, Helene C. F. Cote
Summary: This study evaluated the toxicity of HIV antiretrovirals during pregnancy. The results showed that some InSTIs can have adverse effects on embryonic stem cells and pregnant mice, even at subtherapeutic concentrations.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)