Abstract
A single mouse blastomere from an embryo until the 8-cell stage can generate an entire blastocyst. Whether laboratory-cultured cells retain a similar generative capacity remains unknown. Starting from a single stem cell type, extended pluripotent stem (EPS) cells, we established a 3D differentiation system that enabled the generation of blastocyst-like structures (EPS-blastoids) through lineage segregation and self-organization. EPS-blastoids resembled blastocysts in morphology and cell-lineage allocation and recapitulated key morphogenetic events during preimplantation and early postimplantation development in vitro. Upon transfer, some EPS-blastoids underwent implantation, induced decidualization, and generated live, albeit disorganized, tissues in utero. Single-cell and bulk RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that EPS-blastoids contained all three blastocyst cell lineages and shared transcriptional similarity with natural blastocysts. We also provide proof of concept that EPS-blastoids can be generated from adult cells via cellular reprogramming. EPS-blastoids provide a unique platform for studying early embryogenesis and pave the way to creating viable synthetic embryos by using cultured cells.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 687-702.e18 |
Journal | Cell |
Volume | 179 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 17 2019 |
Keywords
- EPS cells
- EPS-blastoid
- blastocyst
- blastoids
- extended pluripotent stem cells
- implantation
- reprogramming
- totipotent
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology