Stem cell potentiality and 'synthetic' embryos

What is it about?

It is mostly assumed that when stem cells are isolated from blastocysts thery loose the capacity to convert into embryos. Recent experiments show, however, that embryo-forming capacity can be re-gained by stem cells under certain conditions. This report focuses on recent reports on ‘engineering' viable fish embryos or gastrulating human germ disc models using ‘pluripotent'/omnipotent cells, as well as on spontaneous early embryonic pattern formation in aggregates of mouse embryonic stem cells.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

It is concluded that we should not only reconsider the stem cell terminology in use (pluripotency, omnipotency, totipotency); more urgently, we should contemplate ethical implications of the perspective of constructing 'synthetic' embryos in humans.