According to a study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, a team of researchers at the University of Leuven in Belgium used stem cells to generate a new type of human cell in the laboratory. The new cells are very similar to the natural cells in early human embryos, helping to better study what happens when the embryo is implanted in the uterus. The KU Leuven team has developed the first specific type of human embryonic cell model, the extraembryonic mesoderm cells. These cells produce the first blood in the embryo, help attach the embryo to the future placenta, and play a role in forming the primitive umbilical cord. The researchers say they can now study processes that are normally out of reach during development, and the model has allowed them to pinpoint the source of extraembryonic mesoderm cells. In the long run, the model is also expected to shed more light on medical challenges such as fertility, miscarriage and developmental disorders.
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