Open AccessBioengineered microenvironment to culture early embryos
Author(s) -
Gu Zhen,
Guo Jia,
Wang Hongmei,
Wen Yongqiang,
Gu Qi
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
cell proliferation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.647
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-2184
pISSN - 0960-7722
DOI - 10.1111/cpr.12754
Subject(s) - embryo , embryonic stem cell , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , embryogenesis , genetics , gene
The abnormalities of early post‐implantation embryos can lead to early pregnancy loss and many other syndromes. However, it is hard to study embryos after implantation due to the limited accessibility. The success of embryo culture in vitro can avoid the challenges of embryonic development in vivo and provide a powerful research platform for research in developmental biology. The biophysical and chemical cues of the microenvironments impart significant spatiotemporal effects on embryonic development. Here, we summarize the main strategies which enable researchers to grow embryos outside of the body while overcoming the implantation barrier, highlight the roles of engineered microenvironments in regulating early embryonic development, and finally discuss the future challenges and new insights of early embryo culture.