Using only skin cells, the Israeli lab makes synthetic mouse embryos with a heartbeat
An Israeli laboratory has grown synthetic mouse embryos with a beating brain and heart — in an egg-free sperm-free procedure that uses stem cells taken from the skin.
The breakthrough, published Monday in the peer-reviewed journal Cell, is the first time advanced embryos of any species have been made from stem cells alone, said cell biologist Prof. Jacob Hanna of the Weizmann Institute of Science told The Times of Israel. .
Hanna, who led the research, said that previous efforts have only led to blastocysts, meaning structures formed early in mammalian development. Blastocysts have a fraction of the millions of more cells present in their embryos.
“Excellent,” he commented. “No sperm, no eggs and no uterus, but we managed to get embryos formed from stem cells alone for up to eight days – a third of the gestational age of mice – with beating hearts.”
He said the research could one day be used to grow artificial human embryo-like structures to produce cells for futuristic medical solutions.
Scientists are constantly looking for ways to use cells to grow organs for transplantation. The obvious source for such cells—the ordinary embryo—is seen as fraught with ethical concerns.
Synthetic mouse embryos grown at the Weizmann Institute of Science, are depicted dally, from day one at the top left, to remaining eight at the bottom right. (owned by Weizmann Institute of Science)
Hanna says structures such as synthetic embryos can be viewed very differently. They are similar to ordinary embryos, but are not suitable for implantation.
He foresaw a day when sick patients could provide skin or blood cells for the growth of artificial embryo-like structures, which in turn could produce the cells needed to grow organs.
Synthetic mouse embryos grew at the Weizmann Institute of Science on day eight, complete with beating hearts. (owned, Weizmann Institute of Science)
Key to Hanna’s achievement is a special incubator system where each embryo is in a bottle filled with liquid, and the bottle rotates to ensure it doesn’t stick to the side. The incubator creates all the necessary conditions for embryonic development, including gas concentration, pressure and temperature. The fluid developed in his lab provides embryos with all the nutrients, hormones and sugars they need.
Dr. Jacob Hanna in his Weizmann Institute lab. (mine, Jacob Hanna)
In March 2021, Hanna’s laboratory used an incubator to grow 250 embryonic cells into mouse fetuses with fully formed organs using an artificial uterus. “The difference between that research and what we’re achieving now is where the embryos come from,” explains Hanna. “In previous studies, they were natural embryos that came from mice and came from eggs fertilized by sperm. Now, embryos are made purely from stem cells.”
He added: “We asked at the time of previous research what would happen if we just took stem cells and put them in this machine. Now we know the answer — an embryo with early organs, including an early brain, a beating heart, blood stem cells. They even mimic the entire embryo, and the surrounding tissues including the placenta and yolk sac.”
“No one has ever made sophisticated embryos from stem cells, so this is important. This will advance the understanding of stem cells and organs in mammals, and may have practical significance in the future.”
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