„Stem Cell-Derived Embryo Models: Where we are and what lies ahead“
Stefan Krauss & Mathias Busek
(University of Oslo & University of Tübingen)
Stem cell-based embryo models offer an unprecedented window into early stages of mammalian development, with the potential of providing tractable systems to investigate how complex tissues emerge. In this seminar, we will present our recent efforts to generate complex mouse and human embryo models that recapitulate aspects of embryonic spatial, mechanical, and signaling environments. Using pluripotent stem cells, we reconstruct multi-lineage architectures capable of self-organization, enabling the formation of complex embryonic trajectories and early organogenic features. We will discuss how engineering approaches, ranging from controlled morphogen delivery to microenvironmental modulation, allow us to steer these models toward increasingly complex and physiologically relevant states.
Our mouse embryo models provide a high-resolution platform to interrogate early developmental feature deployment, including germ layer formation, coordinated interactions between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues, and patterning dynamics. Building on these insights, we have established parallel human stem cell-derived embryo models that capture key hallmarks of early post-implantation development and initiate trajectories toward organogenesis. By recreating complex embryonic environments in vitro, we aim to refine strategies for generating functional tissues and organs, offering powerful tools for toxicology, drug discovery, and ultimately regenerative medicine.
