Researchers say they created first synthetic human embryo model


A team of scientists in the United States and the United Kingdom said they created the world's first synthetic human embryonic structure from stem cells, an advancement that "sidesteps the need for eggs or sperm," per The Guardian, the first outlet to cover the story.
The researchers said the model embryos resemble the earliest stages of human development, meaning they lack organs such as a heart or brain. Still, the hope is that the structures can help scientists better understand genetic diseases and miscarriages, and that the research sheds light on the "black box" of human development, or the period that follows two weeks of fertilization.
Dr. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz, a professor of biology and biological engineering at CalTech and the University of Cambridge, described her team's findings in a presentation for the International Society for Stem Cell Research's annual meeting in Boston. She said a scientific journal had accepted the research but it has yet to be published. Her team and a rival group in Israel had previously reported creating similar "embryoids" from mouse stem cells.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Zernicka-Goetz's lab grew each model embryo from a single human embryonic stem cell that developed into three different tissue layers, she told CNN. The models included cells that could develop into a yolk sac, placenta or embryo. She also said her lab's structures were the first to have germ cells that could become eggs and sperm. Still, Zernicka-Goetz wanted to "stress that they are not human embryos."
For some, the research underscores how quickly the science in the field has bypassed the law, as many countries, including the U.S. and the U.K., lack any regulations for creating or working with synthetic embryos. The advancement also highlights the "urgent need" for laws that provide "a framework for the creation and use of stem cell derived models of human embryos," James Briscoe, associate research director at the Francis Crick Institute, said in a statement.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
July fiction: Summers to remember
Feature Featuring the latest summer-themed novels from Darrow Farr, Lucas Schaefer, and more
-
Why are flash floods in Texas so deadly?
Today's Big Question Over 100 people, including 27 girls at a summer camp, died in recent flooding
-
'The way AI is discussed makes it seem like this is a necessary outcome'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Bacteria can turn plastic waste into a painkiller
Under the radar The process could be a solution to plastic pollution
-
Scientists want to regrow human limbs. Salamanders could lead the way.
Under the radar Humans may already have the genetic mechanism necessary
-
New York plans first nuclear plant in 36 years
Speed Read The plant, to be constructed somewhere in upstate New York, will produce enough energy to power a million homes
-
Dehorning rhinos sharply cuts poaching, study finds
Speed Read The painless procedure may be an effective way to reduce the widespread poaching of rhinoceroses
-
Is the world losing scientific innovation?
Today's big question New research seems to be less exciting
-
Breakthrough gene-editing treatment saves baby
speed read KJ Muldoon was healed from a rare genetic condition
-
Sea lion proves animals can keep a beat
speed read A sea lion named Ronan beat a group of college students in a rhythmic dance-off, says new study
-
Earth's oceans were once green and could one day turn purple
Under the radar The current blue may be temporary