Blood in the bowl. Cambridge researchers achieve breakthrough in regenerative medicine

Scientists at Cambridge University have grown structures in the laboratory that resemble human embryos and produce blood cells. This is a breakthrough in regenerative medicine with the potential to treat patients with their own cells—for example, in bone marrow transplants, reports The Guardian.

The model was developed from stem cells—without the use of egg or sperm cells—and designed so that it cannot develop into a fetus.

By the second day, the structures had organized themselves into three basic germ layers. By the eighth day, the researchers observed pulsating cells involved in heart development, and by the 13th day, the first red blood spots appeared – a sign of active blood formation.

These blood-forming stem cells were then able to further differentiate into red and white blood cells. Unlike previous methods, which required complex protein cocktails, this method mimics natural development.

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