Studying embryogenesis is key to unraveling the mysteries of early life. luismmolina/iStock via Getty Images Plus Embryonic development, also known as embryogenesis, is a cornerstone in understanding the origins of life. But studying this marvel of intricate and layered biological processes in people faces considerable challenges. Early-stage human embryos are difficult to obtain. Then there are ethical issues surrounding their use. This has made it difficult for scientists to understand early human development. However, advances in genetic engineering and molecular and cellular biology have c ..read more

Shutterstock Researchers have created synthetic human embryos using stem cells, according to media reports. Remarkably, these embryos have reportedly been created from embryonic stem cells, meaning they do not require sperm and ova. This development, widely described as a breakthrough that could help scientists learn more about human development and genetic disorders, was revealed this week in Boston at the annual meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research. The research, announced by Professor Magdalena Żernicka-Goetz of the University of Cambridge and the California Institute ..read more

Paul Sakuma/AP The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) today released updated guidelines for stem cell research and its translation to medicine. Developed in response to recent scientific and clinical advances, the revised guidelines provide a series of detailed and practical recommendations that set out global standards for how these emerging technologies should be harnessed. Stem cell research has huge potential — it could help pave the way for new therapies for ailments ranging from Parkinson’s disease to childhood kidney failure. But scientific advances in this field can ..read more

A human blastocyst. Researchers have now created 'model' versions of this early embryonic structure by reprogramming human skin cells. Harimiao/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Researchers have successfully grown model versions of early human embryos by “reprogramming” cells from human skin. The breakthrough potentially opens up new ways to study the earliest phases of human development, learn more about developmental disorders, infertility and genetic diseases, and perhaps even improve the success of IVF treatment. In a study published in Nature today, a team led by our colleague Jose Polo discove ..read more

This confocal microscope image shows the face of a week-old zebrafish. Peter Fabian and Gage Crump, CC BY-NC My lab, based at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, uses zebrafish to model human birth defects affecting the face. When I tell people this, they are often skeptical that fish biology has any relevance to human health. But zebrafish have backbones like us, contain by and large the same types of organs, and, critically for genetic research, share many genes in common. My group has exploited these genetic similarities to create zebrafish models for several huma ..read more

Genetic testing costs around A$700 per embryo. KieferPix If you’re going through IVF, you may be offered a test to look at your embryos’ chromosomes. Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (chromosome abnormalities), known as PGT-A, is an “add on” used to help choose embryos with the right number of chromosomes. It’s promoted by IVF clinics as a way to increase the chance of success, especially for women over 35. But the evidence shows that in most cases, PGT-A doesn’t improve the chance of a baby. Read more: The business of IVF: how human eggs went from simple cells to a valuable com ..read more

Men have nipples because of a quirk in how embryos develop. But that's only part of the story of this seemingly redundant body part. from www.shutterstock.com Women’s nipples have long been a source of fascination and controversy, from celebrity gossip stories of wardrobe malfunctions and “nip slips” to feminist movements for gender equality. Nipples even became a fashion accessory. Men’s nipples are a different story. While they don’t tend to attract the same type of controversy, people have long been fascinated about why men have them. The question even made it into a popular science book. S ..read more

Faces form during the very early stages of embryology. from www.shutterstock.com Is your face long? Wide? Big nose? Small ears? High forehead? It’s our faces that characterise how the world sees us, and how we recognise our close friends and family. If you’re lucky enough to be born with a highly symmetrical or a very unique face, perhaps you might have a career as a model or actor. But how do our faces come about – and what happens when things go awry? We need to look way back to the early stages of life to find out. Read more: What makes you a man or a woman? Geneticist Jenny Graves explains ..read more

Altering the genomes of embryonic cells is illegal in Australia. from www.shutterstock.com.au One of the greatest mysteries in life is why only about one in three embryos formed naturally ever go on to produce a baby. Most miscarry. By genetically engineering human embryos, scientists in the UK have identified a key gene in enabling embryos to develop. Kathy Niakan, of the Francis Crick Institute in London, led a team which used gene editing technique CRISPR to investigate the role of a particular gene in the development of embryos. The study could potentially lead to better understanding of m ..read more

Human eight cell embryo for IVF selection. K. Hardy, Wellcome Images , CC BY-SA Scientists in the US have released a paper showing that they have successfully edited human embryos to correct a mutation that causes an inheritable heart condition. The findings are hugely important as they demonstrate for the first time that the technology may one day be used safely to edit out many devastating diseases. But how close to curing genetic diseases does the new study actually take us? And how concerned should we be about the ethical implications of the technology? The genome editing tool used, CRISPR ..read more