Derivation of human embryo cell lines
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Derivation of human embryo cell lines
IRAS ID
303996
Contact name
Jennifer Nichols
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Cambridge
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate processes involved in early human development, in order to understand how each tissue is specified and regulated during formation of a normal embryo. This information may allow improvement to culture regimes used in assisted conception programmes and thereby enhance pregnancy success. Before implanting in the uterus the embryo forms a blastocyst comprising trophectoderm (founder of the placenta, epiblast (source of the foetus) and hypoblast (required for patterning and nutrition of the foetus). Stem cell lines derived from each of these lineages can be grown and differentiated in culture and thus provide an unlimited supply of material for analytical studies and modelling developmental processes in a dish. The most widely used stem cell lines from epiblast are called ‘embryonic stem cells’. These can be directed in culture to form any tissue in the body and are therefore useful for biomedical purposes, including drug screening or modelling organ development and function. They can also be induced to self-organise into 3D structures closely resembling blastocysts, called 'blastoids', providing a system to investigate implantation and molecular requirements for blastocyst formation. However, whether the tissues in blastoids have the same potential as those in natural blastocysts is not yet known, so cell lines derived from trophectoderm and hypoblast are still needed. Our work relies on human preimplantation embryos left over from assisted conception programmes and kindly donated to our project by patients with informed consent. The consenting process is conducted in the donating clinic by trained clinical embryologists. Researchers on the project never interact with patients. Embryos and derivative cell lines will be cultured in the university laboratory and never used for clinical purposes. Patients can opt to be informed if cell lines are derived, but know they are allowed no further claim on them.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/1231
Date of REC Opinion
13 Sep 2021
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion