1
|
Schumacher S, Fernkorn M, Marten M, Chen R, Kim YS, Bedzhov I, Schröter C. Tissue-intrinsic beta-catenin signals antagonize Nodal-driven anterior visceral endoderm differentiation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5055. [PMID: 38871742 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49380-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The anterior-posterior axis of the mammalian embryo is laid down by the anterior visceral endoderm (AVE), an extraembryonic signaling center that is specified within the visceral endoderm. Current models posit that AVE differentiation is promoted globally by epiblast-derived Nodal signals, and spatially restricted by a BMP gradient established by the extraembryonic ectoderm. Here, we report spatially restricted AVE differentiation in bilayered embryo-like aggregates made from mouse embryonic stem cells that lack an extraembryonic ectoderm. Notably, clusters of AVE cells also form in pure visceral endoderm cultures upon activation of Nodal signaling, indicating that tissue-intrinsic factors can restrict AVE differentiation. We identify β-catenin activity as a tissue-intrinsic factor that antagonizes AVE-inducing Nodal signals. Together, our results show how an AVE-like population can arise through interactions between epiblast and visceral endoderm alone. This mechanism may be a flexible solution for axis patterning in a wide range of embryo geometries, and provide robustness to axis patterning when coupled with signal gradients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sina Schumacher
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Max Fernkorn
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Michelle Marten
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Rui Chen
- Embryonic Self-Organization research group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - Yung Su Kim
- Embryonic Self-Organization research group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
- Integrated Biosystems and Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ivan Bedzhov
- Embryonic Self-Organization research group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Schröter
- Department of Systemic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rosner M, Hengstschläger M. Oct4 controls basement membrane development during human embryogenesis. Dev Cell 2024; 59:1439-1456.e7. [PMID: 38579716 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Basement membranes (BMs) are sheet-like structures of extracellular matrix (ECM) that provide structural support for many tissues and play a central role in signaling. They are key regulators of cell behavior and tissue functions, and defects in their assembly or composition are involved in numerous human diseases. Due to the differences between human and animal embryogenesis, ethical concerns, legal constraints, the scarcity of human tissue material, and the inaccessibility of the in vivo condition, BM regulation during human embryo development has remained elusive. Using the post-implantation amniotic sac embryoid (PASE), we delineate BM assembly upon post-implantation development and BM disassembly during primitive streak (PS) cell dissemination. Further, we show that the transcription factor Oct4 regulates the expression of BM structural components and receptors and controls BM development by regulating Akt signaling and the small GTPase Rac1. These results represent a relevant step toward a more comprehensive understanding of early human development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margit Rosner
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Markus Hengstschläger
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Krammer T, Stuart HT, Gromberg E, Ishihara K, Cislo D, Melchionda M, Becerril Perez F, Wang J, Costantini E, Lehr S, Arbanas L, Hörmann A, Neumüller RA, Elvassore N, Siggia E, Briscoe J, Kicheva A, Tanaka EM. Mouse neural tube organoids self-organize floorplate through BMP-mediated cluster competition. Dev Cell 2024:S1534-5807(24)00297-1. [PMID: 38776925 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
During neural tube (NT) development, the notochord induces an organizer, the floorplate, which secretes Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) to pattern neural progenitors. Conversely, NT organoids (NTOs) from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) spontaneously form floorplates without the notochord, demonstrating that stem cells can self-organize without embryonic inducers. Here, we investigated floorplate self-organization in clonal mouse NTOs. Expression of the floorplate marker FOXA2 was initially spatially scattered before resolving into multiple clusters, which underwent competition and sorting, resulting in a stable "winning" floorplate. We identified that BMP signaling governed long-range cluster competition. FOXA2+ clusters expressed BMP4, suppressing FOXA2 in receiving cells while simultaneously expressing the BMP-inhibitor NOGGIN, promoting cluster persistence. Noggin mutation perturbed floorplate formation in NTOs and in the NT in vivo at mid/hindbrain regions, demonstrating how the floorplate can form autonomously without the notochord. Identifying the pathways governing organizer self-organization is critical for harnessing the developmental plasticity of stem cells in tissue engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Krammer
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Hannah T Stuart
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Elena Gromberg
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Keisuke Ishihara
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dillon Cislo
- Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Fernando Becerril Perez
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jingkui Wang
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Elena Costantini
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefanie Lehr
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Laura Arbanas
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Nicola Elvassore
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova & Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Eric Siggia
- Center for Studies in Physics and Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Anna Kicheva
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Elly M Tanaka
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kidner RQ, Goldstone EB, Rodefeld HJ, Brokaw LP, Gonzalez AM, Ros-Rocher N, Gerdt JP. Exogenous lipid vesicles induce endocytosis-mediated cellular aggregation in a close unicellular relative of animals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.14.593945. [PMID: 38798415 PMCID: PMC11118469 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.14.593945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Capsaspora owczarzaki is a protozoan that may both reveal aspects of animal evolution and also curtail the spread of schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease. Capsaspora exhibits a chemically regulated aggregative behavior that resembles cellular aggregation in some animals. This behavior may have played a key role in the evolution of animal multicellularity. Additionally, this aggregative behavior may be important for Capsaspora 's ability to colonize the intermediate host of parasitic schistosomes and potentially prevent the spread of schistosomiasis. Both applications demand elucidation of the molecular mechanism of Capsaspora aggregation. Toward this goal, we first determined the necessary chemical properties of lipid cues that activate aggregation. We found that a wide range of abundant zwitterionic lipids induced aggregation, revealing that the aggregative behavior could be activated by diverse lipid-rich conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrated that aggregation in Capsaspora requires clathrin-mediated endocytosis, highlighting the potential significance of endocytosis-linked cellular signaling in recent animal ancestors. Finally, we found that aggregation was initiated by post-translational activation of cell-cell adhesion-not transcriptional regulation of cellular adhesion machinery. Our findings illuminate the chemical, molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate Capsaspora aggregative behavior-with implications for the evolution of animal multicellularity and the transmission of parasites.
Collapse
|
5
|
Indana D, Zakharov A, Lim Y, Dunn AR, Bhutani N, Shenoy VB, Chaudhuri O. Lumen expansion is initially driven by apical actin polymerization followed by osmotic pressure in a human epiblast model. Cell Stem Cell 2024; 31:640-656.e8. [PMID: 38701758 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2024.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Post-implantation, the pluripotent epiblast in a human embryo forms a central lumen, paving the way for gastrulation. Osmotic pressure gradients are considered the drivers of lumen expansion across development, but their role in human epiblasts is unknown. Here, we study lumenogenesis in a pluripotent-stem-cell-based epiblast model using engineered hydrogels. We find that leaky junctions prevent osmotic pressure gradients in early epiblasts and, instead, forces from apical actin polymerization drive lumen expansion. Once the lumen reaches a radius of ∼12 μm, tight junctions mature, and osmotic pressure gradients develop to drive further growth. Computational modeling indicates that apical actin polymerization into a stiff network mediates initial lumen expansion and predicts a transition to pressure-driven growth in larger epiblasts to avoid buckling. Human epiblasts show transcriptional signatures consistent with these mechanisms. Thus, actin polymerization drives lumen expansion in the human epiblast and may serve as a general mechanism of early lumenogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dhiraj Indana
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Andrei Zakharov
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Youngbin Lim
- Cell Sciences Imaging Facility (CSIF), Beckman Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Alexander R Dunn
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Nidhi Bhutani
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Vivek B Shenoy
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Center for Engineering Mechanobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ovijit Chaudhuri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health (ChEM-H), Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rossant J. Why study human embryo development? Dev Biol 2024; 509:43-50. [PMID: 38325560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the processes and mechanisms underlying early human embryo development has become an increasingly active and important area of research. It has potential for insights into important clinical issues such as early pregnancy loss, origins of congenital anomalies and developmental origins of adult disease, as well as fundamental insights into human biology. Improved culture systems for preimplantation embryos, combined with the new tools of single cell genomics and live imaging, are providing new insights into the similarities and differences between human and mouse development. However, access to human embryo material is still restricted and extended culture of early embryos has regulatory and ethical concerns. Stem cell-derived models of different phases of human development can potentially overcome these limitations and provide a scalable source of material to explore the early postimplantation stages of human development. To date, such models are clearly incomplete replicas of normal development but future technological improvements can be envisaged. The ethical and regulatory environment for such studies remains to be fully resolved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet Rossant
- The Gairdner Foundation and the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, MaRS Centre, Heritage Building, 101 College Street, Suite 335, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lodewijk GA, Kozuki S, Han C, Topacio BR, Zargari A, Lee S, Knight G, Ashton R, Qi LS, Shariati SA. Self-organization of embryonic stem cells into a reproducible embryo model through epigenome editing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.05.583597. [PMID: 38496557 PMCID: PMC10942404 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.05.583597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can self-organize in vitro into developmental patterns with spatial organization and molecular similarity to that of early embryonic stages. This self-organization of ESCs requires transmission of signaling cues, via addition of small molecule chemicals or recombinant proteins, to induce distinct embryonic cellular fates and subsequent assembly into structures that can mimic aspects of early embryonic development. During natural embryonic development, different embryonic cell types co-develop together, where each cell type expresses specific fate-inducing transcription factors through activation of non-coding regulatory elements and interactions with neighboring cells. However, previous studies have not fully explored the possibility of engineering endogenous regulatory elements to shape self-organization of ESCs into spatially-ordered embryo models. Here, we hypothesized that cell-intrinsic activation of a minimum number of such endogenous regulatory elements is sufficient to self-organize ESCs into early embryonic models. Our results show that CRISPR-based activation (CRISPRa) of only two endogenous regulatory elements in the genome of pluripotent stem cells is sufficient to generate embryonic patterns that show spatial and molecular resemblance to that of pre-gastrulation mouse embryonic development. Quantitative single-cell live fluorescent imaging showed that the emergence of spatially-ordered embryonic patterns happens through the intrinsic induction of cell fate that leads to an orchestrated collective cellular motion. Based on these results, we propose a straightforward approach to efficiently form 3D embryo models through intrinsic CRISPRa-based epigenome editing and independent of external signaling cues. CRISPRa-Programmed Embryo Models (CPEMs) show highly consistent composition of major embryonic cell types that are spatially-organized, with nearly 80% of the structures forming an embryonic cavity. Single cell transcriptomics confirmed the presence of main embryonic cell types in CPEMs with transcriptional similarity to pre-gastrulation mouse embryos and revealed novel signaling communication links between different embryonic cell types. Our findings offer a programmable embryo model and demonstrate that minimum intrinsic epigenome editing is sufficient to self-organize ESCs into highly consistent pre-gastrulation embryo models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerrald A Lodewijk
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Institute for The Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Equal contribution to this work
| | - Sayaka Kozuki
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Institute for The Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Equal contribution to this work
| | - Clara Han
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Institute for The Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Benjamin R Topacio
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Institute for The Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Abolfazl Zargari
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Seungho Lee
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Institute for The Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| | - Gavin Knight
- Neurosetta LLC, Madison, WI
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, Madison, WI
| | - Randolph Ashton
- Neurosetta LLC, Madison, WI
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, Madison, WI
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Lei S Qi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - S Ali Shariati
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
- Institute for The Biology of Stem Cells, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Weatherbee BAT, Weberling A, Gantner CW, Iwamoto-Stohl LK, Barnikel Z, Barrie A, Campbell A, Cunningham P, Drezet C, Efstathiou P, Fishel S, Vindel SG, Lockwood M, Oakley R, Pretty C, Chowdhury N, Richardson L, Mania A, Weavers L, Christie L, Elder K, Snell P, Zernicka-Goetz M. Distinct pathways drive anterior hypoblast specification in the implanting human embryo. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:353-365. [PMID: 38443567 PMCID: PMC10940163 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01367-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Development requires coordinated interactions between the epiblast, which generates the embryo proper; the trophectoderm, which generates the placenta; and the hypoblast, which forms both the anterior signalling centre and the yolk sac. These interactions remain poorly understood in human embryogenesis because mechanistic studies have only recently become possible. Here we examine signalling interactions post-implantation using human embryos and stem cell models of the epiblast and hypoblast. We find anterior hypoblast specification is NODAL dependent, as in the mouse. However, while BMP inhibits anterior signalling centre specification in the mouse, it is essential for its maintenance in human. We also find contrasting requirements for BMP in the naive pre-implantation epiblast of mouse and human embryos. Finally, we show that NOTCH signalling is important for human epiblast survival. Our findings of conserved and species-specific factors that drive these early stages of embryonic development highlight the strengths of comparative species studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bailey A T Weatherbee
- Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Perinatal Institute, Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Antonia Weberling
- Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- All Souls College, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Carlos W Gantner
- Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lisa K Iwamoto-Stohl
- Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lucy Richardson
- Herts & Essex Fertility Centre, Bishops College, Cheshunt, UK
| | | | | | | | - Kay Elder
- Bourn Hall Fertility Clinic, Bourn, UK
| | | | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Stem Cells Self-Organization Group, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Handford CE, Junyent S, Jorgensen V, Zernicka-Goetz M. Topical section: embryonic models (2023) for Current Opinion in Genetics & Development. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 84:102134. [PMID: 38052116 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Stem cell-based mammalian embryo models facilitate the discovery of developmental mechanisms because they are more amenable to genetic and epigenetic perturbations than natural embryos. Here, we highlight exciting recent advances that have yielded a plethora of models of embryonic development. Imperfections in these models highlight gaps in our current understanding and outline future research directions, ushering in an exciting new era for embryology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E Handford
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA. https://twitter.com/@CEHandford
| | - Sergi Junyent
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA. https://twitter.com/@JunyentSergi
| | - Victoria Jorgensen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
De Santis R, Rice E, Croft G, Yang M, Rosado-Olivieri EA, Brivanlou AH. The emergence of human gastrulation upon in vitro attachment. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:41-53. [PMID: 38101401 PMCID: PMC10828709 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
While studied extensively in model systems, human gastrulation remains obscure. The scarcity of fetal biological material as well as ethical considerations limit our understanding of this process. In vitro attachment of natural blastocysts shed light on aspects of the second week of human development in the absence of the morphological manifestation of gastrulation. Stem cell-derived blastocyst models, blastoids, provide the opportunity to reconstitute pre- to post-implantation development in vitro. Here we show that upon in vitro attachment, human blastoids self-organize a BRA+ population and undergo gastrulation. Single-cell RNA sequencing of these models replicates the transcriptomic signature of the human gastrula. Analysis of developmental timing reveals that in both blastoid models and natural human embryos, the onset of gastrulation as defined by molecular markers, can be traced to timescales equivalent to 12 days post fertilization. In all, natural human embryos and blastoid models self-organize primitive streak and mesoderm derivatives upon in vitro attachment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo De Santis
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eleni Rice
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gist Croft
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Min Yang
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Edwin A Rosado-Olivieri
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ali H Brivanlou
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Simpson L, Alberio R. Interspecies control of development during mammalian gastrulation. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:397-408. [PMID: 37933589 PMCID: PMC10754326 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Gastrulation represents a pivotal phase of development and aberrations during this period can have major consequences, from minor anatomical deviations to severe congenital defects. Animal models are used to study gastrulation, however, there is considerable morphological and molecular diversity of gastrula across mammalian species. Here, we provide an overview of the latest research on interspecies developmental control across mammals. This includes single-cell atlases of several mammalian gastrula which have enabled comparisons of the temporal and molecular dynamics of differentiation. These studies highlight conserved cell differentiation regulators and both absolute and relative differences in differentiation dynamics between species. Recent advances in in vitro culture techniques have facilitated the derivation, maintenance and differentiation of cell lines from a range of species and the creation of multi-species models of gastrulation. Gastruloids are three-dimensional aggregates capable of self-organising and recapitulating aspects of gastrulation. Such models enable species comparisons outside the confines of the embryo. We highlight recent in vitro evidence that differentiation processes such as somitogenesis and neuronal maturation scale with known in vivo differences in developmental tempo across species. This scaling is likely due to intrinsic differences in cell biochemistry. We also highlight several studies which provide examples of cell differentiation dynamics being influenced by extrinsic factors, including culture conditions, chimeric co-culture, and xenotransplantation. These collective studies underscore the complexity of gastrulation across species, highlighting the necessity of additional datasets and studies to decipher the intricate balance between intrinsic cellular programs and extrinsic signals in shaping embryogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Simpson
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, U.K
| | - Ramiro Alberio
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
Recent methodological advances in measurements of geometry and forces in the early embryo and its models are enabling a deeper understanding of the complex interplay of genetics, mechanics and geometry during development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zong-Yuan Liu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vikas Trivedi
- EMBL Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- EMBL Heidelberg, Developmental Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Idse Heemskerk
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Center for Cell Plasticity and Organ Design, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sun S, Xue X, Fu J. Modeling development using microfluidics: bridging gaps to foster fundamental and translational research. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 82:102097. [PMID: 37573835 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
In vitro stem cell-derived embryo and organ models, termed embryoids and organoids, respectively, provide promising experimental tools to study physiological and pathological processes in mammalian development and organ formation. Most of current embryoid and organoid systems are developed using conventional three-dimensional cultures that lack controls of spatiotemporal extracellular signals. Microfluidics, an established technology for quantitative controls and quantifications of dynamic chemical and physical environments, has recently been utilized for developing next-generation embryoids and organoids in a controllable and reproducible manner. In this review, we summarize recent progress in constructing microfluidics-based embryoids and organoids. Development of these models demonstrates the successful applications of microfluidics in establishing morphogen gradients, accelerating medium transport, exerting mechanical forces, facilitating tissue coculture studies, and improving assay throughput, thus supporting using microfluidics for building next-generation embryoids and organoids for fundamental and translational research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Xufeng Xue
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Pedroza M, Gassaloglu SI, Dias N, Zhong L, Hou TCJ, Kretzmer H, Smith ZD, Sozen B. Self-patterning of human stem cells into post-implantation lineages. Nature 2023; 622:574-583. [PMID: 37369348 PMCID: PMC10584676 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06354-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Investigating human development is a substantial scientific challenge due to the technical and ethical limitations of working with embryonic samples. In the face of these difficulties, stem cells have provided an alternative to experimentally model inaccessible stages of human development in vitro1-13. Here we show that human pluripotent stem cells can be triggered to self-organize into three-dimensional structures that recapitulate some key spatiotemporal events of early human post-implantation embryonic development. Our system reproducibly captures spontaneous differentiation and co-development of embryonic epiblast-like and extra-embryonic hypoblast-like lineages, establishes key signalling hubs with secreted modulators and undergoes symmetry breaking-like events. Single-cell transcriptomics confirms differentiation into diverse cell states of the perigastrulating human embryo14,15 without establishing placental cell types, including signatures of post-implantation epiblast, amniotic ectoderm, primitive streak, mesoderm, early extra-embryonic endoderm, as well as initial yolk sac induction. Collectively, our system captures key features of human embryonic development spanning from Carnegie stage16 4-7, offering a reproducible, tractable and scalable experimental platform to understand the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie human development, including new opportunities to dissect congenital pathologies with high throughput.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monique Pedroza
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Seher Ipek Gassaloglu
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nicolas Dias
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Liangwen Zhong
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tien-Chi Jason Hou
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Helene Kretzmer
- Department of Genome Regulation, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zachary D Smith
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Berna Sozen
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Weatherbee BAT, Gantner CW, Iwamoto-Stohl LK, Daza RM, Hamazaki N, Shendure J, Zernicka-Goetz M. Pluripotent stem cell-derived model of the post-implantation human embryo. Nature 2023; 622:584-593. [PMID: 37369347 PMCID: PMC10584688 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06368-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The human embryo undergoes morphogenetic transformations following implantation into the uterus, but our knowledge of this crucial stage is limited by the inability to observe the embryo in vivo. Models of the embryo derived from stem cells are important tools for interrogating developmental events and tissue-tissue crosstalk during these stages1. Here we establish a model of the human post-implantation embryo, a human embryoid, comprising embryonic and extraembryonic tissues. We combine two types of extraembryonic-like cell generated by overexpression of transcription factors with wild-type embryonic stem cells and promote their self-organization into structures that mimic several aspects of the post-implantation human embryo. These self-organized aggregates contain a pluripotent epiblast-like domain surrounded by extraembryonic-like tissues. Our functional studies demonstrate that the epiblast-like domain robustly differentiates into amnion, extraembryonic mesenchyme and primordial germ cell-like cells in response to bone morphogenetic protein cues. In addition, we identify an inhibitory role for SOX17 in the specification of anterior hypoblast-like cells2. Modulation of the subpopulations in the hypoblast-like compartment demonstrates that extraembryonic-like cells influence epiblast-like domain differentiation, highlighting functional tissue-tissue crosstalk. In conclusion, we present a modular, tractable, integrated3 model of the human embryo that will enable us to probe key questions of human post-implantation development, a critical window during which substantial numbers of pregnancies fail.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bailey A T Weatherbee
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carlos W Gantner
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lisa K Iwamoto-Stohl
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Riza M Daza
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nobuhiko Hamazaki
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jay Shendure
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kim Y, Kim I, Shin K. A new era of stem cell and developmental biology: from blastoids to synthetic embryos and beyond. Exp Mol Med 2023; 55:2127-2137. [PMID: 37779144 PMCID: PMC10618288 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-01097-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries in stem cell and developmental biology have introduced a new era marked by the generation of in vitro models that recapitulate early mammalian development, providing unprecedented opportunities for extensive research in embryogenesis. Here, we present an overview of current techniques that model early mammalian embryogenesis, specifically noting models created from stem cells derived from two significant species: Homo sapiens, for its high relevance, and Mus musculus, a historically common and technically advanced model organism. We aim to provide a holistic understanding of these in vitro models by tracing the historical background of the progress made in stem cell biology and discussing the fundamental underlying principles. At each developmental stage, we present corresponding in vitro models that recapitulate the in vivo embryo and further discuss how these models may be used to model diseases. Through a discussion of these models as well as their potential applications and future challenges, we hope to demonstrate how these innovative advances in stem cell research may be further developed to actualize a model to be used in clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunhee Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Inha Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kunyoo Shin
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Ai Z, Niu B, Yin Y, Xiang L, Shi G, Duan K, Wang S, Hu Y, Zhang C, Zhang C, Rong L, Kong R, Chen T, Guo Y, Liu W, Li N, Zhao S, Zhu X, Mai X, Li Y, Wu Z, Zheng Y, Fu J, Ji W, Li T. Dissecting peri-implantation development using cultured human embryos and embryo-like assembloids. Cell Res 2023; 33:661-678. [PMID: 37460804 PMCID: PMC10474050 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-023-00846-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of cultured embryos have provided insights into human peri-implantation development. However, detailed knowledge of peri-implantation lineage development as well as underlying mechanisms remains obscure. Using 3D-cultured human embryos, herein we report a complete cell atlas of the early post-implantation lineages and decipher cellular composition and gene signatures of the epiblast and hypoblast derivatives. In addition, we develop an embryo-like assembloid (E-assembloid) by assembling naive hESCs and extraembryonic cells. Using human embryos and E-assembloids, we reveal that WNT, BMP and Nodal signaling pathways synergistically, but functionally differently, orchestrate human peri-implantation lineage development. Specially, we dissect mechanisms underlying extraembryonic mesoderm and extraembryonic endoderm specifications. Finally, an improved E-assembloid is developed to recapitulate the epiblast and hypoblast development and tissue architectures in the pre-gastrulation human embryo. Our findings provide insights into human peri-implantation development, and the E-assembloid offers a useful model to disentangle cellular behaviors and signaling interactions that drive human embryogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zongyong Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Baohua Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yu Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lifeng Xiang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Gaohui Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Kui Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Sile Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yingjie Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chengting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lujuan Rong
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ruize Kong
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Tingwei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yixin Guo
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanlu Liu
- Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, International Campus, Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, China
| | - Nan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Shumei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaoqing Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xuancheng Mai
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yonggang Li
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ze Wu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yi Zheng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Weizhi Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| | - Tianqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
- Yunnan Provincial Academy of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
DiRusso JA, Clark AT. Transposable elements in early human embryo development and embryo models. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 81:102086. [PMID: 37441874 PMCID: PMC10917458 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs), long discounted as 'selfish genomic elements,' are increasingly appreciated as the drivers of genomic evolution, genome organization, and gene regulation. TEs are particularly important in early embryo development, where advances in stem cell technologies, in tandem with improved computational and next-generation sequencing approaches, have provided an unprecedented opportunity to study the contribution of TEs to early mammalian development. Here, we summarize advances in our understanding of TEs in early human development and expand on how new stem cell-based embryo models can be leveraged to augment this understanding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A DiRusso
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA.; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Reproductive Science, Health and Education, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Amander T Clark
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA.; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Reproductive Science, Health and Education, University of California, 90095 Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hislop J, Alavi A, Song Q, Schoenberger R, Kamyar KF, LeGraw R, Velazquez J, Mokhtari T, Taheri MN, Rytel M, de Sousa Lopes SMC, Watkins S, Stolz D, Kiani S, Sozen B, Bar-Joseph Z, Ebrahimkhani MR. Modelling Human Post-Implantation Development via Extra-Embryonic Niche Engineering. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.15.545118. [PMID: 37398391 PMCID: PMC10312773 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.15.545118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Implantation of the human embryo commences a critical developmental stage that comprises profound morphogenetic alteration of embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues, axis formation, and gastrulation events. Our mechanistic knowledge of this window of human life remains limited due to restricted access to in vivo samples for both technical and ethical reasons. Additionally, human stem cell models of early post-implantation development with both embryonic and extra-embryonic tissue morphogenesis are lacking. Here, we present iDiscoid, produced from human induced pluripotent stem cells via an engineered a synthetic gene circuit. iDiscoids exhibit reciprocal co-development of human embryonic tissue and engineered extra-embryonic niche in a model of human post-implantation. They exhibit unanticipated self-organization and tissue boundary formation that recapitulates yolk sac-like tissue specification with extra-embryonic mesoderm and hematopoietic characteristics, the formation of bilaminar disc-like embryonic morphology, the development of an amniotic-like cavity, and acquisition of an anterior-like hypoblast pole and posterior-like axis. iDiscoids offer an easy-to-use, high-throughput, reproducible, and scalable platform to probe multifaceted aspects of human early post-implantation development. Thus, they have the potential to provide a tractable human model for drug testing, developmental toxicology, and disease modeling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Hislop
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Amir Alavi
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Machine Learning Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Qi Song
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Machine Learning Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rayna Schoenberger
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Keshavarz F. Kamyar
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Ryan LeGraw
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Jeremy Velazquez
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Tahere Mokhtari
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Mohammad Nasser Taheri
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Matthew Rytel
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Susana M Chuva de Sousa Lopes
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Simon Watkins
- Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Donna Stolz
- Center for Biologic Imaging, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Samira Kiani
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Berna Sozen
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Ziv Bar-Joseph
- Computational Biology Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Machine Learning Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mo R. Ebrahimkhani
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Repina NA, Johnson HJ, Bao X, Zimmermann JA, Joy DA, Bi SZ, Kane RS, Schaffer DV. Optogenetic control of Wnt signaling models cell-intrinsic embryogenic patterning using 2D human pluripotent stem cell culture. Development 2023; 150:dev201386. [PMID: 37401411 PMCID: PMC10399980 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
In embryonic stem cell (ESC) models for early development, spatially and temporally varying patterns of signaling and cell types emerge spontaneously. However, mechanistic insight into this dynamic self-organization is limited by a lack of methods for spatiotemporal control of signaling, and the relevance of signal dynamics and cell-to-cell variability to pattern emergence remains unknown. Here, we combine optogenetic stimulation, imaging and transcriptomic approaches to study self-organization of human ESCs (hESC) in two-dimensional (2D) culture. Morphogen dynamics were controlled via optogenetic activation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling (optoWnt), which drove broad transcriptional changes and mesendoderm differentiation at high efficiency (>99% cells). When activated within cell subpopulations, optoWnt induced cell self-organization into distinct epithelial and mesenchymal domains, mediated by changes in cell migration, an epithelial to mesenchymal-like transition and TGFβ signaling. Furthermore, we demonstrate that such optogenetic control of cell subpopulations can be used to uncover signaling feedback mechanisms between neighboring cell types. These findings reveal that cell-to-cell variability in Wnt signaling is sufficient to generate tissue-scale patterning and establish a hESC model system for investigating feedback mechanisms relevant to early human embryogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A. Repina
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco and University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Hunter J. Johnson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco and University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Xiaoping Bao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Joshua A. Zimmermann
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - David A. Joy
- Graduate Program in Bioengineering, University of California, San Francisco and University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Shirley Z. Bi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ravi S. Kane
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - David V. Schaffer
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Overeem AW, Chang YW, Moustakas I, Roelse CM, Hillenius S, Helm TVD, Schrier VFVD, Gonçalves MA, Mei H, Freund C, Chuva de Sousa Lopes SM. Efficient and scalable generation of primordial germ cells in 2D culture using basement membrane extract overlay. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100488. [PMID: 37426764 PMCID: PMC10326346 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Current methods to generate human primordial germ cell-like cells (hPGCLCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can be inefficient, and it is challenging to generate sufficient hPGCLCs to optimize in vitro gametogenesis. We present a differentiation method that uses diluted basement membrane extract (BMEx) and low BMP4 concentration to efficiently induce hPGCLC differentiation in scalable 2D cell culture. We show that BMEx overlay potentiated BMP/SMAD signaling, induced lumenogenesis, and increased expression of key hPGCLC-progenitor markers such as TFAP2A and EOMES. hPGCLCs that were generated using the BMEx overlay method were able to upregulate more mature germ cell markers, such as DAZL and DDX4, in human fetal ovary reconstitution culture. These findings highlight the importance of BMEx during hPGCLC differentiation and demonstrate the potential of the BMEx overlay method to interrogate the formation of PGCs and amnion in humans, as well as to investigate the next steps to achieve in vitro gametogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arend W. Overeem
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Yolanda W. Chang
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ioannis Moustakas
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
- Sequencing Analysis Support Core, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Celine M. Roelse
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Sanne Hillenius
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Talia Van Der Helm
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Manuel A.F.V. Gonçalves
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Hailiang Mei
- Sequencing Analysis Support Core, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Freund
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden University Medical Center hiPSC Hotel, Leiden University Medical Centre, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Susana M. Chuva de Sousa Lopes
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Emig AA, Williams MLK. Gastrulation morphogenesis in synthetic systems. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 141:3-13. [PMID: 35817656 PMCID: PMC9825685 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in pluripotent stem cell culture allow researchers to generate not only most embryonic cell types, but also morphologies of many embryonic structures, entirely in vitro. This recreation of embryonic form from naïve cells, known as synthetic morphogenesis, has important implications for both developmental biology and regenerative medicine. However, the capacity of stem cell-based models to recapitulate the morphogenetic cell behaviors that shape natural embryos remains unclear. In this review, we explore several examples of synthetic morphogenesis, with a focus on models of gastrulation and surrounding stages. By varying cell types, source species, and culture conditions, researchers have recreated aspects of primitive streak formation, emergence and elongation of the primary embryonic axis, neural tube closure, and more. Here, we describe cell behaviors within in vitro/ex vivo systems that mimic in vivo morphogenesis and highlight opportunities for more complete models of early development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa A Emig
- Center for Precision Environmental Health & Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | - Margot L K Williams
- Center for Precision Environmental Health & Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Zhang M, Reis AH, Simunovic M. Human embryoids: A new strategy of recreating the first steps of embryonic development in vitro. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 141:14-22. [PMID: 35871155 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Molecular mechanisms surrounding early human embryonic events such as blastocyst formation, implantation, and the specification of the body axes are some of the most attractive research questions of developmental biology today. A knowledge on the detailed signaling landscape underlying these critical events in the human could impact the way we treat early pregnancy disorders and infertility, and considerably advance our abilities to make precise human tissues in a lab. However, owing to ethical, technical, and policy restrictions, research on early human embryo development historically stalled behind animal models. The rapid progress in 3D culture of human embryonic stem cells over the past years created an opportunity to overcome this critical challenge. We review recently developed strategies of making 3D models of the human embryo built from embryonic stem cells, which we refer to as embryoids. We focus on models aimed at reconstituting the 3D epithelial characteristics of the early human embryo, namely the intra/extraembryonic signaling crosstalk, tissue polarity, and embryonic cavities. We identify distinct classes of embryoids based on whether they explicitly include extraembryonic tissues and we argue for the merit of compromising on certain aspects of embryo mimicry in balancing the experimental feasibility with ethical considerations. Human embryoids open gates toward a new field of synthetic human embryology, allowing to study the long inaccessible stages of early human development at unprecedented detail.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miaoci Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Columbia University, New York 10027, USA; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York 10032, USA
| | - Alice H Reis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Columbia University, New York 10027, USA; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York 10032, USA
| | - Mijo Simunovic
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Columbia University, New York 10027, USA; Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York 10032, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia Irving Medical Center, New York 10032, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Qian W, Good MC. Peeking under the hood of early embryogenesis: Using tools and synthetic biology to understand native control systems and sculpt tissues. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 141:43-49. [PMID: 35525819 PMCID: PMC9633583 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Early embryogenesis requires rapid division of pluripotent blastomeres, regulated genome activation, precise spatiotemporal signaling to pattern cell fate, and morphogenesis to shape primitive tissue architectures. The complexity of this process has inspired researchers to move beyond simple genetic perturbation into engineered devices and synthetic biology tools to permit temporal and spatial manipulation of the control systems guiding development. By precise alteration of embryo organization, it is now possible to advance beyond basic analytical strategies and directly test the sufficiency of models for developmental regulation. Separately, advances in micropatterning and embryoid culture have facilitated the bottom-up construction of complex embryo tissues allowing ex vivo systems to recapitulate even later stages of development. Embryos fertilized and grown ex vivo offer an excellent opportunity to exogenously perturb fundamental pathways governing embryogenesis. Here we review the technologies developed to thermally modulate the embryo cell cycle, and optically regulate morphogen and signaling pathways in space and time, specifically in the blastula embryo. Additionally, we highlight recent advances in cell patterning in two and three dimensions that have helped reveal the self-organizing properties and gene regulatory networks guiding early embryo organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenchao Qian
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew C. Good
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Lead Contact,Correspondence: (M.C.G), Address: 421 Curie Blvd, 1151 Biomedical Research Building, Philadelphia PA 19104
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Nguyen RY, Cabral AT, Rossello-Martinez A, Zulli A, Gong X, Zhang Q, Yan J, Mak M. Tunable Mesoscopic Collagen Island Architectures Modulate Stem Cell Behavior. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2207882. [PMID: 36895051 PMCID: PMC10166061 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202207882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix is the biophysical environment that scaffolds mammalian cells in the body. The main constituent is collagen. In physiological tissues, collagen network topology is diverse with complex mesoscopic features. While studies have explored the roles of collagen density and stiffness, the impact of complex architectures remains not well-understood. Developing in vitro systems that recapitulate these diverse collagen architectures is critical for understanding physiologically relevant cell behaviors. Here, methods are developed to induce the formation of heterogeneous mesoscopic architectures, referred to as collagen islands, in collagen hydrogels. These island-containing gels have highly tunable inclusions and mechanical properties. Although these gels are globally soft, there is regional enrichment in the collagen concentration at the cell-scale. Collagen-island architectures are utilized to study mesenchymal stem cell behavior, and it is demonstrated that cell migration and osteogenic differentiation are altered. Finally, induced pluripotent stem cells are cultured in island-containing gels, and it is shown that the architecture is sufficient to induce mesodermal differentiation. Overall, this work highlights complex mesoscopic tissue architectures as bioactive cues in regulating cell behavior and presents a novel collagen-based hydrogel that captures these features for tissue engineering applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Y. Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Aidan T. Cabral
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Alessandro Zulli
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiangyu Gong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Qiuting Zhang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jing Yan
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael Mak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Koh I, Hagiwara M. Gradient to sectioning CUBE workflow for the generation and imaging of organoids with localized differentiation. Commun Biol 2023; 6:299. [PMID: 36944757 PMCID: PMC10030548 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04694-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Advancements in organoid culture have led to various in vitro mini-organs that mimic native tissues in many ways. Yet, the bottleneck remains to generate complex organoids with body axis patterning, as well as keeping the orientation of organoids during post-experiment analysis processes. Here, we present a workflow for culturing organoids with morphogen gradient using a CUBE culture device, followed by sectioning samples with the CUBE to retain information on gradient direction. We show that hiPSC spheroids cultured with two separated differentiation media on opposing ends of the CUBE resulted in localized expressions of the respective differentiation markers, in contrast to homogeneous distribution of markers in controls. We also describe the processes for cryo and paraffin sectioning of spheroids in CUBE to retain gradient orientation information. This workflow from gradient culture to sectioning with CUBE can provide researchers with a convenient tool to generate increasingly complex organoids and study their developmental processes in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Koh
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Masaya Hagiwara
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Espina JA, Cordeiro MH, Barriga EH. Tissue interplay during morphogenesis. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 147:12-23. [PMID: 37002130 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2023.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The process by which biological systems such as cells, tissues and organisms acquire shape has been named as morphogenesis and it is central to a plethora of biological contexts including embryo development, wound healing, or even cancer. Morphogenesis relies in both self-organising properties of the system and in environmental inputs (biochemical and biophysical). The classical view of morphogenesis is based on the study of external biochemical molecules, such as morphogens. However, recent studies are establishing that the mechanical environment is also used by cells to communicate within tissues, suggesting that this mechanical crosstalk is essential to synchronise morphogenetic transitions and self-organisation. In this article we discuss how tissue interaction drive robust morphogenesis, starting from a classical biochemical view, to finalise with more recent advances on how the biophysical properties of a tissue feedback with their surroundings to allow form acquisition. We also comment on how in silico models aid to integrate and predict changes in cell and tissue behaviour. Finally, considering recent advances from the developmental biomechanics field showing that mechanical inputs work as cues that promote morphogenesis, we invite to revisit the concept of morphogen.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A Espina
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Lab, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Marilia H Cordeiro
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Lab, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Elias H Barriga
- Mechanisms of Morphogenesis Lab, Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC), Oeiras, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Amel A, Rossouw S, Goolam M. Gastruloids: A Novel System for Disease Modelling and Drug Testing. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:104-113. [PMID: 36308705 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10462-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
By virtue of its inaccessible nature, mammalian implantation stage development has remained one of the most enigmatic and hard to investigate periods of embryogenesis. Derived from pluripotent stem cells, gastruloids recapitulate key aspects of gastrula-stage embryos and have emerged as a powerful in vitro tool to study the architectural features of early post-implantation embryos. While the majority of the work in this emerging field has focused on the use of gastruloids to model embryogenesis, their tractable nature and suitability for high-throughput scaling, has presented an unprecedented opportunity to investigate both developmental and environmental aberrations to the embryo as they occur in vitro. This review summarises the recent developments in the use of gastruloids to model congenital anomalies, their usage in teratogenicity testing, and the current limitations of this emerging field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atoosa Amel
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Simoné Rossouw
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mubeen Goolam
- Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, 7925, Cape Town, South Africa. .,UCT Neuroscience Institute, Cape Town, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Abas R, Masrudin SS, Harun AM, Omar NS, Omar NS. Gastrulation and Body Axes Formation: A Molecular Concept and Its Clinical Correlates. Malays J Med Sci 2022; 29:6-14. [PMID: 36818899 PMCID: PMC9910376 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2022.29.6.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During the third week of human pregnancy, an embryo transforms from two germinal disc layers of hypoblast and epiblast to three germinal layers of endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. Gastrulation is a complex process that includes cellular mobility, morphogenesis and cell signalling, as well as chemical morphogenic gradients, transcription factors and differential gene expression. During gastrulation, many signalling channels coordinate individual cell actions in precise time and location. These channels control cell proliferation, shape, fate and migration to the correct sites. Subsequently, the anteroposterior (AP), dorsoventral (DV) and left-right (LR) body axes are formed before and during gastrulation via these signalling regulation signals. Hence, the anomalies in gastrulation caused by insults to certain molecular pathways manifest as a wide range of body axes-related disorders. This article outlines the formation of body axes during gastrulation and the anomalies as well as the clinical implications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Razif Abas
- Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia,Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Siti Saleha Masrudin
- Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Noorkardiffa Syawalina Omar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor, Malaysia,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sozen B, Conkar D, Veenvliet JV. Carnegie in 4D? Stem-cell-based models of human embryo development. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:44-57. [PMID: 35701286 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
How cells build embryos is still a major mystery. Many unresolved questions require the study of the processes that pattern and shape the embryo in live specimens, in toto, across spatial and temporal scales. In mammalian embryogenesis, this remains a major challenge as the embryo develops in utero, precluding easy accessibility. For human embryos, technical, ethical and legal limitations further hamper the in-depth investigation of embryogenesis, especially beyond gastrulation stages. This has resulted in an over-reliance on model organisms, particularly mice, to understand mammalian development. However, recent efforts show critical differences between rodent and primate embryos, including timing, architecture and transcriptional regulation. Thus, a human-centric understanding of embryogenesis is much needed. To empower this, novel in vitro approaches, which coax human pluripotent stem cells to form embryonic organoids that model embryo development, are pivotal. Here, we summarize these emergent technologies that recapitulate aspects of human development "in a dish". We show how these technologies can provide insights into the molecular, cellular and morphogenetic processes that fuel the formation of a fully formed fetus, and discuss the potential of these platforms to revolutionize our understanding of human development in health and disease. Despite their clear promise, we caution against over-interpreting the extent to which these in vitro platforms model the natural embryo. In particular, we discuss how fate, form and function - a tightly coupled trinity in vivo, can be disconnected in vitro. Finally, we propose how careful benchmarking of existing models, in combination with rational protocol design based on an increased understanding of in vivo developmental dynamics and insights from mouse in vitro models of embryo development, will help guide the establishment of better models of human embryo development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Berna Sozen
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Deniz Conkar
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jesse V Veenvliet
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Carleton AE, Duncan MC, Taniguchi K. Human epiblast lumenogenesis: From a cell aggregate to a lumenal cyst. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:117-123. [PMID: 35637065 PMCID: PMC9529837 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The formation of a central lumen in the human epiblast is a critical step for development. However, because the lumen forms in the epiblast coincident with implantation, the molecular and cellular events of this early lumenogenesis process cannot be studied in vivo. Recent developments using new model systems have revealed insight into the underpinnings of epiblast formation. To provide an up-to-date comprehensive review of human epiblast lumenogenesis, we highlight recent findings from human and mouse models with an emphasis on new molecular understanding of a newly described apicosome compartment, a novel 'formative' state of pluripotency that coordinates with epiblast polarization, and new evidence about the physical and polarized trafficking mechanisms contributing to lumenogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amber E. Carleton
- Departments of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
| | - Mara C. Duncan
- Departments of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan USA,Co-corresponding authors
| | - Kenichiro Taniguchi
- Departments of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA,Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA,Co-corresponding authors
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Tyser RCV, Srinivas S. Recent advances in understanding cell types during human gastrulation. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:35-43. [PMID: 35606274 PMCID: PMC7615356 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Gastrulation is a fundamental process during embryonic development, conserved across all multicellular animals [1]. In the majority of metazoans, gastrulation is characterised by large scale morphogenetic remodeling, leading to the conversion of an early pluripotent embryonic cell layer into the three primary 'germ layers': an outer ectoderm, inner endoderm and intervening mesoderm layer. The morphogenesis of these three layers of cells is closely coordinated with cellular diversification, laying the foundation for the generation of the hundreds of distinct specialized cell types in the animal body. The process of gastrulation has for a long time attracted tremendous attention in a broad range of experimental systems ranging from sponges to mice. In humans the process of gastrulation starts approximately 14 days after fertilization and continues for slightly over a week. However our understanding of this important process, as it pertains to human, is limited. Donations of human fetal material at these early stages are exceptionally rare, making it nearly impossible to study human gastrulation directly. Therefore, our understanding of human gastrulation is predominantly derived from animal models such as the mouse [2,3] and from studies of limited collections of fixed whole samples and histological sections of human gastrulae [4-7], some of which date back to over a century ago. More recently we have been gaining valuable molecular insights into human gastrulation using in vitro models of hESCs [8-12] and increasingly, in vitro cultured human and non-human primate embryos [13-16]. However, while methods have been developed to culture human embryos into this stage (and probably beyond), current ethical standards prohibit the culture of human embryos past 14 days again limiting our ability to experimentally probe human gastrulation. This review discusses recent molecular insights from the study of a rare CS 7 human gastrula obtained as a live sample and raises several questions arising from this recent study that it will be interesting to address in the future using emerging models of human gastrulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard C V Tyser
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, University of Oxford , Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Shankar Srinivas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, South Parks Road, University of Oxford , Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
The complex process by which a single-celled zygote develops into a viable embryo is nothing short of a miraculous wonder of the natural world. Elucidating how this process is orchestrated in humans has long eluded the grasp of scientists due to ethical and practical limitations. Thankfully, pluripotent stem cells that resemble early developmental cell types possess the ability to mimic specific embryonic events. As such, murine and human stem cells have been leveraged by scientists to create in vitro models that aim to recapitulate different stages of early mammalian development. Here, we examine the wide variety of stem cell-based embryo models that have been developed to recapitulate and study embryonic events, from pre-implantation development through to early organogenesis. We discuss the applications of these models, key considerations regarding their importance within the field, and how such models are expected to grow and evolve to achieve exciting new milestones in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aidan H. Terhune
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jeyoon Bok
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Shiyu Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Bao M, Cornwall-Scoones J, Zernicka-Goetz M. Stem-cell-based human and mouse embryo models. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2022; 76:101970. [PMID: 35988317 PMCID: PMC10309046 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.101970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic embryology aims to develop embryo-like structures from stem cells to provide new insight into early stages of mammalian development. Recent advances in synthetic embryology have highlighted the remarkable capacity of stem cells to self-organize under certain biochemical or biophysical stimulations, generating structures that recapitulate the fate and form of early mouse/human embryos, in which symmetry breaking, pattern formation, or proper morphogenesis can be observed spontaneously. Here we review recent progress on the design principles for different types of embryoids and discuss the impact of different biochemical and biophysical factors on the process of stem-cell self-organization. We also offer our thoughts about the principal future challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Bao
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK. https://twitter.com/@Min_Bao_
| | - Jake Cornwall-Scoones
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK. https://twitter.com/@jake_cs_
| | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, 1200 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Mammalian Embryo and Stem Cell Group, Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Wen L, Tang F. Organoid research on human early development and beyond. MEDICAL REVIEW (BERLIN, GERMANY) 2022; 2:512-523. [PMID: 37724162 PMCID: PMC10471100 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2022-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
The organoid field has been developing rapidly during the last decade. Organoids for human pre-, peri- and post-implantation development have opened an avenue to study these biological processes in vitro, which have been hampered by lack of accessible research models for long term. The technologies of four fields, single cell omics sequencing, genome editing and lineage tracing, microfluidics and tissue engineering, have fueled the rapid development of the organoid field. In this review, we will discuss the organoid research on human early development as well as future directions of the organoid field combining with other powerful technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Wen
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Puscheck EE, Ruden X, Singh A, Abdulhasan M, Ruden DM, Awonuga AO, Rappolee DA. Using high throughput screens to predict miscarriages with placental stem cells and long-term stress effects with embryonic stem cells. Birth Defects Res 2022; 114:1014-1036. [PMID: 35979652 PMCID: PMC10108263 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
A problem in developmental toxicology is the massive loss of life from fertilization through gastrulation, and the surprising lack of knowledge of causes of miscarriage. Half to two-thirds of embryos are lost, and environmental and genetic causes are nearly equal. Simply put, it can be inferred that this is a difficult period for normal embryos, but that environmental stresses may cause homeostatic responses that move from adaptive to maladaptive with increasing exposures. At the lower 50% estimate, miscarriage causes greater loss-of-life than all cancers combined or of all cardio- and cerebral-vascular accidents combined. Surprisingly, we do not know if miscarriage rates are increasing or decreasing. Overshadowed by the magnitude of miscarriages, are insufficient data on teratogenic or epigenetic imbalances in surviving embryos and their stem cells. Superimposed on the difficult normal trajectory for peri-gastrulation embryos are added malnutrition, hormonal, and environmental stresses. An overarching hypothesis is that high throughput screens (HTS) using cultured viable reporter embryonic and placental stem cells (e.g., embryonic stem cells [ESC] and trophoblast stem cells [TSC] that report status using fluorescent reporters in living cells) from the pre-gastrulation embryo will most rapidly test a range of hormonal, environmental, nutritional, drug, and diet supplement stresses that decrease stem cell proliferation and imbalance stemness/differentiation. A second hypothesis is that TSC respond with greater sensitivity in magnitude to stress that would cause miscarriage, but ESC are stress-resistant to irreversible stemness loss and are best used to predict long-term health defects. DevTox testing needs more ESC and TSC HTS to model environmental stresses leading to miscarriage or teratogenesis and more research on epidemiology of stress and miscarriage. This endeavor also requires a shift in emphasis on pre- and early gastrulation events during the difficult period of maximum loss by miscarriage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Puscheck
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Reproductive Stress 3M Inc, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, USA
- Invia Fertility Clinics, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA
| | - Ximena Ruden
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Aditi Singh
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Mohammed Abdulhasan
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Reproductive Stress 3M Inc, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, USA
| | - Douglas M Ruden
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Invia Fertility Clinics, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Science, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Awoniyi O Awonuga
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniel A Rappolee
- CS Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Ob/Gyn, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Reproductive Stress 3M Inc, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, USA
- Invia Fertility Clinics, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Science, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Program for Reproductive Sciences and Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Zheng Y, Yan RZ, Sun S, Kobayashi M, Xiang L, Yang R, Goedel A, Kang Y, Xue X, Esfahani SN, Liu Y, Resto Irizarry AM, Wu W, Li Y, Ji W, Niu Y, Chien KR, Li T, Shioda T, Fu J. Single-cell analysis of embryoids reveals lineage diversification roadmaps of early human development. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:1402-1419.e8. [PMID: 36055194 PMCID: PMC9499422 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite its clinical and fundamental importance, our understanding of early human development remains limited. Stem cell-derived, embryo-like structures (or embryoids) allowing studies of early development without using natural embryos can potentially help fill the knowledge gap of human development. Herein, transcriptome at the single-cell level of a human embryoid model was profiled at different time points. Molecular maps of lineage diversifications from the pluripotent human epiblast toward the amniotic ectoderm, primitive streak/mesoderm, and primordial germ cells were constructed and compared with in vivo primate data. The comparative transcriptome analyses reveal a critical role of NODAL signaling in human mesoderm and primordial germ cell specification, which is further functionally validated. Through comparative transcriptome analyses and validations with human blastocysts and in vitro cultured cynomolgus embryos, we further proposed stringent criteria for distinguishing between human blastocyst trophectoderm and early amniotic ectoderm cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zheng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Robin Zhexuan Yan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Shiyu Sun
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Mutsumi Kobayashi
- Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Lifeng Xiang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Ran Yang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Alexander Goedel
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Yu Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Xufeng Xue
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sajedeh Nasr Esfahani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yue Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Weisheng Wu
- BRCF Bioinformatics Core, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yunxiu Li
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China
| | - Weizhi Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Yuyu Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Kenneth R Chien
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Tianqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Toshihiro Shioda
- Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Cancer Research, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Boroviak TE. A human embryo model cracks symmetry breaking. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:869-870. [DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
40
|
Simunovic M, Siggia ED, Brivanlou AH. In vitro attachment and symmetry breaking of a human embryo model assembled from primed embryonic stem cells. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:962-972.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
41
|
Ai Z, Yin Y, Niu B, Li T. Deconstructing human peri-implantation embryogenesis based on embryos and embryoids. Biol Reprod 2022; 107:212-225. [PMID: 35552636 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The peri-implantation period from blastula to gastrula is one of the crucial stages of human embryo and stem cell development. During development, human embryos undergo many crucial events, such as embryonic lineage differentiation and development, structural self-assembly, pluripotency state transition, cell communication between lineages, and crosstalk between the embryo and uterus. Abnormalities in these developmental events will result in implantation failure or pregnancy loss. However, because of ethical and technical limits, the developmental dynamics of human peri-implantation embryos and the underlying mechanisms of abnormal development remain in a "black box". In this review, we summarize recent progress made towards our understanding of human peri-implantation embryogenesis based on extended in vitro cultured embryos and stem cell-based embryoids. These findings lay an important foundation for understanding early life, promoting research into human stem cells and their application, and preventing and treating infertility. We also propose key scientific issues regarding peri-implantation embryogenesis and provide an outlook on future study directions. Finally, we sum up China's contribution to the field and future opportunities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zongyong Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China
| | - Yu Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China
| | - Baohua Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China
| | - Tianqing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research; Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Shao Y, Fu J. Engineering multiscale structural orders for high-fidelity embryoids and organoids. Cell Stem Cell 2022; 29:722-743. [PMID: 35523138 PMCID: PMC9097334 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Embryoids and organoids hold great promise for human biology and medicine. Herein, we discuss conceptual and technological frameworks useful for developing high-fidelity embryoids and organoids that display tissue- and organ-level phenotypes and functions, which are critically needed for decoding developmental programs and improving translational applications. Through dissecting the layers of inputs controlling mammalian embryogenesis, we review recent progress in reconstructing multiscale structural orders in embryoids and organoids. Bioengineering tools useful for multiscale, multimodal structural engineering of tissue- and organ-level cellular organization and microenvironment are also discussed to present integrative, bioengineering-directed approaches to achieve next-generation, high-fidelity embryoids and organoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Shao
- Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
| | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Abstract
Developing organs are shaped, in part, by physical interaction with their environment in the embryo. In recent years, technical advances in live-cell imaging and material science have greatly expanded our understanding of the mechanical forces driving organ formation. Here, we provide a broad overview of the types of forces generated during embryonic development and then focus on a subset of organs underlying our senses: the eyes, inner ears, nose and skin. The epithelia in these organs emerge from a common origin: the ectoderm germ layer; yet, they arrive at unique and complex forms over developmental time. We discuss exciting recent animal studies that show a crucial role for mechanical forces in, for example, the thickening of sensory placodes, the coiling of the cochlea and the lengthening of hair. Finally, we discuss how microfabricated organoid systems can now provide unprecedented insights into the physical principles of human development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anh Phuong Le
- Department of Otolaryngology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jin Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Karl R. Koehler
- Department of Otolaryngology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Abstract
Embryonic cells grow in environments that provide a plethora of physical cues, including mechanical forces that shape the development of the entire embryo. Despite their prevalence, the role of these forces in embryonic development and their integration with chemical signals have been mostly neglected, and scrutiny in modern molecular embryology tilted, instead, towards the dissection of molecular pathways involved in cell fate determination and patterning. It is now possible to investigate how mechanical signals induce downstream genetic regulatory networks to regulate key developmental processes in the embryo. Here, we review the insights into mechanical control of early vertebrate development, including the role of forces in tissue patterning and embryonic axis formation. We also highlight recent in vitro approaches using individual embryonic stem cells and self-organizing multicellular models of human embryos, which have been instrumental in expanding our understanding of how mechanics tune cell fate and cellular rearrangements during human embryonic development.
Collapse
|
45
|
Needham J, Metzis V. Heads or tails: Making the spinal cord. Dev Biol 2022; 485:80-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
46
|
Hill CS. Establishment and interpretation of NODAL and BMP signaling gradients in early vertebrate development. Curr Top Dev Biol 2022; 149:311-340. [PMID: 35606059 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family ligands play crucial roles in orchestrating early embryonic development. Most significantly, two family members, NODAL and BMP form signaling gradients and indeed in fish, frogs and sea urchins these two opposing gradients are sufficient to organize a complete embryonic axis. This review focuses on how these gradients are established and interpreted during early vertebrate development. The review highlights key principles that are emerging, in particular the importance of signaling duration as well as ligand concentration in both gradient generation and their interpretation. Feedforward and feedback loops involving other signaling pathways are also essential for providing spatial and temporal information downstream of the NODAL and BMP signaling pathways. Finally, new data suggest the existence of buffering mechanisms, whereby early signaling defects can be readily corrected downstream later in development, suggesting that signaling gradients do not have to be as precise as previously thought.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Hill
- Developmental Signalling Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Barhouse PS, Andrade MJ, Smith Q. Home Away From Home: Bioengineering Advancements to Mimic the Developmental and Adult Stem Cell Niche. FRONTIERS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fceng.2022.832754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The inherent self-organizing capacity of pluripotent and adult stem cell populations has advanced our fundamental understanding of processes that drive human development, homeostasis, regeneration, and disease progression. Translating these principles into in vitro model systems has been achieved with the advent of organoid technology, driving innovation to harness patient-specific, cell-laden regenerative constructs that can be engineered to augment or replace diseased tissue. While developmental organization and regenerative adult stem cell niches are tightly regulated in vivo, in vitro analogs lack defined architecture and presentation of physicochemical cues, leading to the unhindered arrangement of mini-tissues that lack complete physiological mimicry. This review aims to highlight the recent integrative engineering approaches that elicit spatio-temporal control of the extracellular niche to direct the structural and functional maturation of pluripotent and adult stem cell derivatives. While the advances presented here leverage multi-pronged strategies ranging from synthetic biology to microfabrication technologies, the methods converge on recreating the biochemical and biophysical milieu of the native tissue to be modeled or regenerated.
Collapse
|
48
|
Luo Y, Yu Y. Research Advances in Gametogenesis and Embryogenesis Using Pluripotent Stem Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:801468. [PMID: 35127717 PMCID: PMC8810640 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.801468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The previous studies of human gametogenesis and embryogenesis have left many unanswered questions, which hinders the understanding of the physiology of these two vital processes and the development of diagnosis and treatment strategies for related diseases. Although many results have been obtained from animal studies, particularly mouse research, the results cannot be fully applied to humans due to species differences in physiology and pathology. However, due to ethical and material limitations, the direct study of human gametes and embryos is very difficult. The emergence and rapid development of organoids allow the construction of organoid systems that simulate gametogenesis and embryogenesis in vitro, and many studies have successfully established organoid systems for some parts of or even the entire processes of gametogenesis and embryogenesis. These studies typically start with the establishment of mouse models and then modify these models to obtain human organoid models. These organoid models can be used to obtain a better understanding of the signaling pathways, molecular mechanisms, genetics, and epigenetic changes involved in gametogenesis and embryogenesis and could also be applied to clinical applications, such as drug screening. Here, we discuss the formation of primordial stem cell-like cells (PGCLCs), and in vitro-induced gametes and embryoids using pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). We also analyze their applications and limitations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology and Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology and Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Center of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Stem Cell Research Center, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yang Yu,
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Rossant J, Tam PP. Early human embryonic development: Blastocyst formation to gastrulation. Dev Cell 2022; 57:152-165. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
50
|
Veenvliet JV, Lenne PF, Turner DA, Nachman I, Trivedi V. Sculpting with stem cells: how models of embryo development take shape. Development 2021; 148:dev192914. [PMID: 34908102 PMCID: PMC8722391 DOI: 10.1242/dev.192914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
During embryogenesis, organisms acquire their shape given boundary conditions that impose geometrical, mechanical and biochemical constraints. A detailed integrative understanding how these morphogenetic information modules pattern and shape the mammalian embryo is still lacking, mostly owing to the inaccessibility of the embryo in vivo for direct observation and manipulation. These impediments are circumvented by the developmental engineering of embryo-like structures (stembryos) from pluripotent stem cells that are easy to access, track, manipulate and scale. Here, we explain how unlocking distinct levels of embryo-like architecture through controlled modulations of the cellular environment enables the identification of minimal sets of mechanical and biochemical inputs necessary to pattern and shape the mammalian embryo. We detail how this can be complemented with precise measurements and manipulations of tissue biochemistry, mechanics and geometry across spatial and temporal scales to provide insights into the mechanochemical feedback loops governing embryo morphogenesis. Finally, we discuss how, even in the absence of active manipulations, stembryos display intrinsic phenotypic variability that can be leveraged to define the constraints that ensure reproducible morphogenesis in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse V. Veenvliet
- Stembryogenesis Lab, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstrasse 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestrasse 63-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Pierre-François Lenne
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM, Turing Center for Living Systems, 13288, Marseille, France
| | - David A. Turner
- Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, William Henry Duncan Building, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L7 8TX, UK
| | - Iftach Nachman
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Vikas Trivedi
- European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL), Barcelona, 08003, Spain
- EMBL Heidelberg, Developmental Biology Unit, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|