A new embryo-like model could help scientists study the ‘black box’ of early human development
Researchers have developed the first-ever embryo-like model from human embryonic stem cells, a workaround that will let them examine birth defects and diseases they couldn’t otherwise, given ethical and technical issues with studying a human embryo in the lab.
The model resembles a human embryo around 18 to 21 days old — complete with the layers of the cells that will eventually form the nervous system, muscles, the gut, and other cells and structures in the human body. It offers far more insights into the organization and decision-making processes of early-stage embryos than other models, but experts caution it still differs from human embryos in key ways.
