Scientists have created lab-grown embryo-like structures that produce human blood cells — a development that could pave the way for new regenerative medicine treatments using a patient’s own cells.
The breakthrough, achieved by researchers at the University of Cambridge’s Gurdon Institute, offers insight into how blood forms during early human development and could eventually help generate blood stem cells for bone marrow 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.
The model embryos were made from human stem cells without the need for sperm or eggs. Unlike natural embryos, they were designed to lack placenta and brain-forming tissues, meaning they could not develop into a foetus.
By the second day of development, the models had self-organised into three germ layers — the ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm — which form the foundation of the body. By day eight, beating heart cells had appeared, and by day 13, the structures produced red patches of blood.
Tests showed the blood stem cells could mature into multiple types of blood cells, including red and white blood cells.
Prof Azim Surani, senior author of the study, said the findings mark “a significant step toward future regenerative therapies,” offering hope for repairing damaged tissues using a patient’s own cells.
