Scientists at the University of Cambridge have created lab-grown human embryo models that produce blood cells — a development that could revolutionize regenerative medicine.
The team at the Gurdon Institute used stem cells to form structures mimicking embryos at around three to four weeks of pregnancy. Remarkably, these embryo-like models began forming blood-red patches by day 13, visible even to the naked eye.
“It was an exciting moment when the blood-red colour appeared in the dish,” said Dr Jitesh Neupane, the study’s lead author. The cells were shown to develop into multiple types of blood cells, including red and white blood cells essential for carrying oxygen and fighting infections.
Unlike previous methods, this new approach did not require additional growth proteins — instead, it mimicked natural embryonic development, allowing the cells to self-organize and form different tissues, including early heart cells.
Senior author Prof Azim Surani called the findings “a significant step towards future regenerative therapies,” suggesting that the ability to grow blood stem cells from a patient’s own tissue could one day replace bone marrow transplants.
The model lacks the tissues needed to form a placenta or brain, meaning it cannot develop into a viable embryo. Still, researchers say it offers an invaluable window into early human development and diseases such as leukaemia.
