Early development of the human embryo Version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Validation of stem cell models for investigation of early human embryology
IRAS ID
318465
Contact name
Austin Smith
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
In the second week of pregnancy the human embryo implants into the uterus and prepares to produce the different tissue layers that will make the body. This formative period is essential for further development. It is also the major time of pregnancy failure. During this period the embryo is inaccessible and therefore poorly understood. However, two recent advances have begun to unlock this “black box” in embryo development. First, researchers have devised techniques for maintaining human embryos longer in the laboratory and developing into the second week. Second, human embryonic stem cells have demonstrated the capacity to form structures called embryoids that have many features of the early embryo. The stem cell system provides a consistent and unlimited supply of research samples that could largely replace the need to use embryos and enable a broad range of studies. However, we need to understand how faithfully stem cell embryoids represent actual human embryos. Our studies will answer this through: (i) side by side comparisons, applying a series of measures including high throughput sequencing for comprehensive analysis of gene expression; (ii) combining embryoid and embryo cells to determine how they interact, which will reveal how similar or dissimilar they are at the functional level; (iii) identifying essential gene functions through studies in embryoids and confirming their importance by specific genetic modifications in embryos; (iv) isolating stem cells from embryos at different stages that correspond to cell states characterised in the laboratory studies.
Overall, these studies will lead to increased knowledge of human fertility and infertility at a major stage of pregnancy failure. The findings should enable improvements in assisted conception (IVF) through optimisation of culture media and better measures of embryo quality.
The study will use supernumerary embryos donated for research. It is funded by the Medical Research Council.REC name
London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/0338
Date of REC Opinion
2 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion