1. In vitro generation of mouse morula-like cells.
- Author
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Li H, Chang L, Wu J, Huang J, Guan W, Bates LE, Stuart HT, Guo M, Zhang P, Huang B, Chen C, Zhang M, Chen J, Min M, Wu G, Hutchins AP, and Silva JCR
- Subjects
- Animals, Mice, Morula metabolism, Cell Lineage, Embryonic Stem Cells, Embryonic Development physiology, Blastocyst metabolism, Embryo, Mammalian metabolism
- Abstract
Generating cells with the molecular and functional properties of embryo cells and with full developmental potential is an aim with fundamental biological significance. Here we report the in vitro generation of mouse transient morula-like cells (MLCs) via the manipulation of signaling pathways. MLCs are molecularly distinct from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and cluster instead with embryo 8- to 16-cell stage cells. A single MLC can generate a blastoid, and the efficiency increases to 80% when 8-10 MLCs are used. MLCs make embryoids directly, efficiently, and within 4 days. Transcriptomic analysis shows that day 4-5 MLC-derived embryoids contain the cell types found in natural embryos at early gastrulation. Furthermore, MLCs introduced into morulae segregate into epiblast (EPI), primitive endoderm (PrE), and trophectoderm (TE) fates in blastocyst chimeras and have a molecular signature indistinguishable from that of host embryo cells. These findings represent the generation of cells that are molecularly and functionally similar to the precursors of the first three cell lineages of the embryo., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests J.C.R.S., H.L., L.E.B., H.T.S., J.W., and M.G. have submitted a patent application (202210437013.X) related to this work (filed by Guangzhou National Laboratory)., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2023
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