Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Following the details of the early stages after embryo implantation using a lab-grown model

18 September 2021

Early Meetings

The first moments of pregnancy are marked by fragile milestones – when cells implanted in the womb send chemical signals to the rest of an embryo, directing its growth. This environment is so delicate that watching under a microscope without causing disruption is challenging. Instead, here scientists recreate part of the story with lab-grown cells. They introduce a cluster of trophoblast cells (similar to those found around the implanted embryo) to a cluster of early embryonic cells similar to an epiblast, and watch what happens under a high-powered microscope. Contact with the trophoblast cells (highlighted in green) switches on a set of proteins known as T/Bra (highlighted in red) in the epiblast – in real embryos this signals gastrulation, where cells form distinct layers towards becoming tissues. Such lab-grown ‘embryoids’ may allow researchers to get a better picture of the early changes in studies of fertility and development.

Written by John Ankers

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.