This picture of an embryo model from Jacob Hanna's lab in Israel is one of the few closest lab-grown embryo models to ever exist. These models come from stem cells and are the closest looking cells to early embryonic development because of their possible yolk sac, formation and shapes of cells, and possible placental-like cells. With this advancing technology, scientists begin to question how far they could grow an embryo in a lab. Depending on your country, there are regulations to determine if a scientist could even attempt to achieve a lab-grown human embryo.
There is a lot of controversy on whether embryo-like structures are useful for real research or are just being used like a game of how far one can one grow the model. Embryo models represent post-implantation stages of embryonic development. During this very early stage of pregnancy is when many pregnancies fail. Researching a human embryo model could teach scientists a lot about why these failures and developmental disorders happen and guide researchers in how to fix them. Although, if this technology gets into the wrong hands, children could be born without a sperm or egg which groups with opinions on cloning.
This model provides an intriguing glimpse into the complexity of human development due to to the precise features of yolk sac creation, cell shapes, and placental-like structures.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see how this technology develops over the next couple of decades. The idea of cloning a human being seems unethical to me, but it seems like that is the direction this will inevitably take. Hopefully this technology will just be used for curing ailments, and finding the answer as to why pregnancies' fail, etc.
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