Scientists have managed to grow human embryos in the laboratory

A team of researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel) has successfully grown models of two-week-old human embryos in the laboratory using stem cells. The unique models will help to better understand the phenomenon of female fertility, why some pregnancies end in miscarriages, and the origin of certain birth defects.

Scientist Hannah Jacob noted that the first month after conception [дитини] is a vital stage of development. She stated: «All the key moments happen in the first month, the remaining eight months of pregnancy are mostly growth.» However, scientists are unable to study fetal development so early in the womb for ethical and practical reasons.

To solve this problem, experts have formed biological structures that resemble the early stages of human embryo development. Interestingly, the stem cells were created without any genetic modifications, which indicates their inherent potential to mimic human development.

While previous studies have shown that mouse stem cells can form structures that resemble fertilized embryos, the latest study has taken this one step further. A group of researchers replicated this process using human stem cells, effectively creating a model of a human embryo at various stages, starting about a week after fertilization. When the laboratory-grown structures were studied, they were found to exhibit many of the developmental stages observed in naturally developing embryos.

Scientists emphasize that laboratory models are not exact copies of real embryos. They are only very close imitations that give scientists a new tool for research. Nevertheless, this achievement not only satisfies scientific curiosity, but may also pave the way for a better understanding and potential elimination of early pregnancy complications in the future.