Researchers have succeeded in creating the world’s first artificial embryo. With this, the world of science has proved that an embryo is possible without sperm, egg or fertilization. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute in Israel have succeeded in making embryos from the stem cells of mice. This lab-built artificial embryo had intestines, a brain and a beating heart.

These embryos are called artificial embryos because they are not created after fertilization. The experiment also provided more information about how organs and cells in embryos develop. Although the experiment was conducted on mice, it also raises the possibility that future experiments could use stem cells instead of animals.

It has been proven that an artificial embryo can be made from stem cells. It is an embryo with a placenta and a protective shell around the embryo. Prof. who led the study said that we are very excited about its potential. Jacob Hanna says. This research result has been fully published in the scientific journal Cell.

Last year, the same research team succeeded in growing mouse embryos outside the womb inside an artificial womb. The same artificial womb was also used to develop embryos from stem cells. It took more than a week for the mice’s stem cells to develop into embryos. This is about halfway through the gestation period of mice.

During the experiment, only 0.5 percent of the stem cells were able to develop into embryos. In this, organs and new cells were formed. These artificial embryos were designed to be 95 percent similar to normal mouse embryos. The researchers confirmed this similarity after examining the internal structure and genetic information of the cells.

At the same time, Hanna says, these artificial embryos cannot develop into live babies. At least if the embryos were implanted into mice, they would have any chance of being born as babies. At the same time, he adds that the treatment of many diseases in humans can be done by making such artificial embryos.

English Summary: Scientists create world’s first ‘synthetic embryos’