Scientists succeeded in developing the world's first 'synthetic' embryo! How mice were used

The mouse embryo model develops not only a brain but also a beating heart. In a release, it produces all the components needed to build the body," the researchers said.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have created the world's first 'synthetic' embryo. It contains the building blocks for the brain, heartbeat, and every organ in the body, the New York Post reports. The outlet further stated that the fetus was created from mouse stem cells. The success of this experiment is a great thing; if it is developed better in the future, medical treatment will become easier.

According to a university press release, a team led by Professor Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz created an embryo model using stem cells instead of embryos or sperm. They are the body's stem cells and can differentiate into almost any cell type. Zernicka-Goetz is an expert in mammalian development and stem cell biology and a professor in the Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. NDTV has reported in this regard.

Three different types of stem cells present in early mammalian development were placed in a condition where they mimicked natural processes in the laboratory. The press release said that the researchers were able to induce the stem cells to talk to each other by stimulating the production of specific sets of genes and creating a unique environment for their interactions.

Our mouse embryo model develops not only a brain but also a beating heart. It produces all the components needed to build the body," the researchers said in the publication. "It's unbelievable that we've come this far. This has been a dream of our group for years and has been the main focus of our work for over a decade. Now finally, we have fulfilled this dream," the researchers said.

To understand why some pregnancies fail and others succeed, Professor Zernica Goetz's team at the University of Cambridge has been researching these earlier stages of pregnancy for the past decade. Zenica Goetz said, "The stem cell embryo model is important because it gives us access to developing structures at a stage usually hidden from us by the tiny embryo implanting in the mother's uterus. Researchers have found that extraembryonic cells interact with embryonic cells chemically, mechanically, or by touch." communicate directly to embryonic development, researchers have found.