New synthetic embryo may lead to infertility treatments

Scientists have created a synthetic embryo without sperm or egg which could help people getting pregnant in the future.

Researchers used stem cells to create a mouse embryo in a dish which came after over 10 years of research.

Stem cells are special cells produced by bone marrow – a spongy tissue found in the centre of some bones – that can turn into different types of blood cells. A stem cell or bone marrow transplant replaces damaged blood cells with healthy ones. It can be used to treat conditions affecting the blood cells, such as leukaemia and lymphoma. 

Lead study author Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz said: “Our mouse embryo model not only develops a brain, but also a beating heart, all the components that go on to make up the body.

“It’s just unbelievable that we’ve got this far. This has been the dream of our community for years, and a major focus of our work for a decade, and finally we’ve done it.”

How did scientists create a synthetic embryo?

According to the study, a natural embryo needs three types of stem cells to form: one become the placenta that connects the woman to the foetus, another the sac where the embryo develops and the third one becomes the body tissue.

Researchers isolated the three types of stem cells from the embryos and place them in a container to bring the cells together and to encourage them to crosstalk between them.

Zernicka-Goetz said that, as time passed, researchers were able to see a more complex structure. 

However, there is a difference in complexity between human and mouse embryos which could take further years of research.