By using two different types of stem cell, researchers at the University of Cambridge have successfully built an artificial mouse embryo in the laboratory – a breakthrough that may help us understand why two out of three human pregnancies fail during the early stages.
Our knowledge of early embryo development is still quite hazy, partly because of the strict rules around research involving real-life human embryos. The technique pioneered in Cambridge involves bringing together two types of stem cell: the embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that will go on to form the mouse’s body, and the trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) that will go on to form the placenta.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2017-Ausgabe von BBC Focus - Science & Technology.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 2017-Ausgabe von BBC Focus - Science & Technology.
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COULD MARINE CLOUD BRIGHTENING HELP US FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE?
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IS IT SAFE TO RUN EVERY DAY, OR SHOULD I DITCH MY RUN STREAK TO SAVE MY KNEES?
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WHAT MAKES THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET SO GOOD FOR US?
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WHAT IS MEXICO'S BLUE HOLE?
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HOW CAN I TELL IF I'VE GOT HIGH CORTISOL LEVELS?
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THE LUNGFISH
In 1836, European scientists discovered a peculiar animal from the River Amazon that they struggled to identify. Its eel-like body was a few feet long and its air-filled lungs persuaded anatomists it must be a reptile.
ARE WE THE ONLY SPECIES TO HAVE BEEN THROUGH A STONE AGE?
The Stone Age might conjure up images of early humans, sitting around a campfire or hunting prehistoric beasts, but evidence shows that we're not the only species that has learned how to work with stone tools. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) use stone tools to crack open nuts.
Should we scrap daylight saving time?
Most of us look forward to the extra hour we get in bed every October, but researchers argue that changing the clocks twice a year harms our health
THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
SCIENTISTS ARE USING ELECTRONIC TAGS AND SATELLITES TO TRACK WILD ANIMALS AND CREATE A DATA NETWORK THAT COULD HELP US ADDRESS THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS
MUSIC FOR A DISTRACTED GENERATION
The number of things competing for our attention is often overwhelming. Can dreamy soundscapes created with neuroscience help our bewildered brains to concentrate?
