Scientists have successfully grown embryo-like structures in the lab that produced human blood cells — a major advance that could transform regenerative medicine.
The research, led by the University of Cambridge’s Gurdon Institute, offers a new way to study the earliest stages of blood and heart development and could eventually make it possible to create patient-specific blood stem cells for transplants.
“It was an exciting moment when the blood-red colour appeared in the dish – it was visible even to the naked eye,” said Dr Jitesh Neupane, the study’s lead author.
Unlike previous techniques that rely on adding external proteins, this new method mimics the natural process of early human development. Using stem cells that can be made from any cell in the body, scientists created three-dimensional structures resembling embryos around two to four weeks old.
By day eight, beating heart cells appeared, and by day 13, the researchers observed red patches of blood. The lab-grown blood stem cells were capable of forming red and white blood cells, including immune cells.
“This marks a significant step towards future regenerative therapies that use a patient’s own cells to repair and regenerate damaged tissues,” said Prof Azim Surani, senior author of the study.
The model was designed without tissues needed for a placenta or brain, ensuring it could not develop into a viable embryo. Researchers say the approach provides an ethical and powerful tool for studying early human development and diseases such as leukaemia.
