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How Israeli researchers are changing our understanding of human development.
One of the biggest mysteries of science: how does a human cell, invisible to the naked eye, divide and reproduce to form a body of more than 30 trillion cells? Much of the knowledge about embryo development is based on studies of animals such as mice and chickens. However, human embryonic development, especially in the first month, remains poorly understood.
"The first month is a real mystery," says Yakov Hanna, a professor of stem cell biology at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
With the help of advances in stem cells, scientists are creating structures similar to embryos. These structures are clusters of cells that cannot develop into a fetus. Recent discoveries in this area have raised both hopes and concerns, especially in matters of ethics.
The most advanced models created by the Israeli team in which Hanna worked showed all the cell types necessary for the development of an embryo. These structures developed over eight days, reaching a developmental stage equivalent to 14 days of a human embryo in the womb.
However, there are limitations. None of the embryo models were grown for more than 14 days due to the complexity of cultivation. This 14-day limit is set by many countries as an ethical limit for research.
Many scientists believe that human embryo models can offer an ethical alternative to research on rare and valuable human embryos. One possible application is drug screening and research.
The scientific community is calling for better regulation of this new field by defining what is acceptable and what is not. "The law is clearly lagging behind science and technology," says Naomi Maurice of the Francis Crick Institute in London.
In the UK, the stem cell-based Embryo Model management project is preparing guidelines for working with this technology. The Group plans to publish the draft governance framework next year.
Bobby Farsides, professor of clinical and biomedical ethics, notes that scientists are deeply engaged in these ethical issues, trying to convince the public of the safety of their research.
One of the biggest mysteries of science: how does a human cell, invisible to the naked eye, divide and reproduce to form a body of more than 30 trillion cells? Much of the knowledge about embryo development is based on studies of animals such as mice and chickens. However, human embryonic development, especially in the first month, remains poorly understood.
"The first month is a real mystery," says Yakov Hanna, a professor of stem cell biology at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
With the help of advances in stem cells, scientists are creating structures similar to embryos. These structures are clusters of cells that cannot develop into a fetus. Recent discoveries in this area have raised both hopes and concerns, especially in matters of ethics.
The most advanced models created by the Israeli team in which Hanna worked showed all the cell types necessary for the development of an embryo. These structures developed over eight days, reaching a developmental stage equivalent to 14 days of a human embryo in the womb.
However, there are limitations. None of the embryo models were grown for more than 14 days due to the complexity of cultivation. This 14-day limit is set by many countries as an ethical limit for research.
Many scientists believe that human embryo models can offer an ethical alternative to research on rare and valuable human embryos. One possible application is drug screening and research.
The scientific community is calling for better regulation of this new field by defining what is acceptable and what is not. "The law is clearly lagging behind science and technology," says Naomi Maurice of the Francis Crick Institute in London.
In the UK, the stem cell-based Embryo Model management project is preparing guidelines for working with this technology. The Group plans to publish the draft governance framework next year.
Bobby Farsides, professor of clinical and biomedical ethics, notes that scientists are deeply engaged in these ethical issues, trying to convince the public of the safety of their research.
