2023-09-07 14:58:34
Scientists developed structures similar to the human embryo without sperm or eggs, a new hope for research on spontaneous abortions and congenital malformations that, however, raises ethical questions.
A group of researchers published their work Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature, describing how they proceeded to create an embryo-like structure from human embryonic stem cells.
Scientists classified these works as an “impressive” advance that could allow us to discover the secrets of the first days of pregnancy, when spontaneous abortions are more frequent.
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These results continue to drive the debate on clearer ethical standards for the development of human embryonic models in the laboratory.
The group of researchers, led by the Palestinian Jacob Hanna of the Weizmann Institute of Sciences in Israel, produced models of 14-day-old human embryos, the legal limit for this type of research in many countries since it represents the moment in which organs such as the brain they begin to develop.
The researchers claimed that their work differed from previous work on the subject because they used chemically modified cells instead of genetically modified cells, and because their models, with a yolk vesicle and amniotic cavity, more closely resemble human embryos.
These similarities may make such models more effective for research into abortions, genital malformations and infertility, said James Briscoe of the Francis Crick Institute in London.
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The structure created “seems to present all the different types of cells that form tissues at this early stage of development,” he insisted.
The researchers behind the study and other scientists emphasize that the structures created should not be considered human embryos.
They “closely resemble, but are not identical” to human embryos, the study emphasizes, adding that “a strong regulatory framework is more necessary than ever.”
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