Mechanisms of stem cell development during human embryogenesis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Molecular mechanisms of cell fate specification and tissue morphogenesis during human embryo development
IRAS ID
272047
Contact name
Marta Shahbazi Alonso
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UK Research and Innovation
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Six days after fertilization the human embryo contains two main types of stem cells, those that will generate the future foetus, and those that will form the organs that support pregnancy, such as the placenta and the yolk sac. As soon as the embryo implants in the womb, these stem cells start to divide, become reorganized and initiate a process of specialization, to generate cells with different identities and functions. All these events need to be carefully coordinated, as failure to do so would lead to pregnancy loss. It is estimated that approximately 30% of human embryos fail to develop shortly after implantation, but the mechanisms behind remain unknown. To understand the causes of failure, we need to study the genes, chromosomes and proteins that are important in regulating the development of the embryo and its cells. To achieve this, we will follow three different but complementary approaches. We will culture human embryos using a system that permits development up to day 13, and analyse their development using biochemical techniques. We will derive stem cell lines from the embryos to characterize the biochemical and functional properties of the stem cells at different stages of development. We will alter the cellular composition of the human embryos by introducing human stem cells. The resulting embryo, a chimera, will be composed of human cells with different genetic information, originally coming from different fertilized eggs. This technology will allow us to alter the genetic information of the stem cells without modifying the genetic information of the embryo. Our studies will be important to understand the reasons behind early pregnancy loss, and devise potential strategies to overcome this medical problem.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EE/0381
Date of REC Opinion
26 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion