Blastoid (embryoid) explained

A blastoid is an embryoid,^[1] a stem cell-based embryo model which, morphologically and transcriptionally resembles the early, pre-implantation, mammalian conceptus, called the blastocyst. The first blastoids were created by the Nicolas Rivron laboratory^{[2] [3]} by combining mouse embryonic stem cells and mouse trophoblast stem cells. Upon in vitro development, blastoids generate analogs of the primitive endoderm cells, thus comprising analogs of the three founding cell types of the conceptus (epiblast, trophoblast and primitive endoderm), and recapitulate aspects of implantation on being introduced into the uterus of a compatible female.^[4] Mouse blastoids have not shown the capacity to support the development of a foetus and are thus generally not considered as an embryo but rather as a model.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} As compared to other stem cell-based embryo models (e.g., Gastruloids), blastoids model the preimplantation stage and the integrated development of the conceptus including the embryo proper and the two extraembryonic tissues (trophectoderm and primitive endoderm). The blastoid is a model system for the study of mammalian development and disease. It might be useful for the identification of therapeutic targets and preclinical modelling.^[9]

Notes and References

1. Simunovic . Mijo . Brivanlou . Ali H. . Embryoids, organoids and gastruloids: new approaches to understanding embryogenesis . Development . 14 March 2017 . 144 . 6 . 976–985 . 10.1242/dev.143529. 28292844 . 5358114 . free .
2. Web site: Blastoid: The backstory of the formation of blastocyst-like structure solely from stem cells. 27 June 2018.
3. Rivron . Nicolas C. . Frias-Aldeguer . Javier . Vrij . Erik J. . Boisset . Jean-Charles . Korving . Jeroen . Vivié . Judith . Truckenmüller . Roman K. . van Oudenaarden . Alexander . van Blitterswijk . Clemens A. . Geijsen . Niels . Blastocyst-like structures generated solely from stem cells . Nature . May 2018 . 557 . 7703 . 106–111 . 10.1038/s41586-018-0051-0 . 29720634 . 2018Natur.557..106R . 13749109 .
4. Rivron . Nicolas C. . Frias-Aldeguer . Javier . Vrij . Erik J. . Boisset . Jean-Charles . Korving . Jeroen . Vivié . Judith . Truckenmüller . Roman K. . van Oudenaarden . Alexander . van Blitterswijk . Clemens A. . Geijsen . Niels . Blastocyst-like structures generated solely from stem cells . Nature . May 2018 . 557 . 7703 . 106–111 . 10.1038/s41586-018-0051-0 . 29720634 . 2018Natur.557..106R . 13749109 .
5. Clark. Amander T.. Brivanlou. Ali. Fu. Jianping. Kato. Kazuto. Mathews. Debra. Niakan. Kathy K.. Rivron. Nicolas. Saitou. Mitinori. Surani. Azim. Tang. Fuchou. Rossant. Janet. 2021-06-08. Human embryo research, stem cell-derived embryo models and in vitro gametogenesis: Considerations leading to the revised ISSCR guidelines. Stem Cell Reports. 16. 6. 1416–1424. 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.05.008. 2213-6711. 8190666. 34048690.
6. Hyun. Insoo. Munsie. Megan. Pera. Martin F.. Rivron. Nicolas C.. Rossant. Janet. 2020-02-11. Toward Guidelines for Research on Human Embryo Models Formed from Stem Cells. Stem Cell Reports. 14. 2. 169–174. 10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.12.008. 2213-6711. 7015820. 31951813.
7. Rivron. Nicolas. Pera. Martin. Rossant. Janet. Martinez Arias. Alfonso. Zernicka-Goetz. Magdalena. Fu. Jianping. van den Brink. Susanne. Bredenoord. Annelien. Dondorp. Wybo. de Wert. Guido. Hyun. Insoo. December 2018. Debate ethics of embryo models from stem cells. Nature. 564. 7735. 183–185. 10.1038/d41586-018-07663-9. 1476-4687. 30542177. 2018Natur.564..183R . 54470694 . free.
8. Lovell-Badge. Robin. Anthony. Eric. Barker. Roger A.. Bubela. Tania. Brivanlou. Ali H.. Carpenter. Melissa. Charo. R. Alta. Clark. Amander. Clayton. Ellen. Cong. Yali. Daley. George Q.. 2021-06-08. ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation: The 2021 update. Stem Cell Reports. 16. 6. 1398–1408. 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.05.012. 2213-6711. 8190668. 34048692.
9. Fu. Jianping. Warmflash. Aryeh. Lutolf. Matthias P.. February 2021. Stem-cell-based embryo models for fundamental research and translation. Nature Materials. 20. 2. 132–144. 10.1038/s41563-020-00829-9. 1476-1122. 7855549. 33199861. 2021NatMa..20..132F .