英国剑桥大学Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz研究组近日取得一项新成果。经过不懈努力，他们发现在人类胚胎着床过程中，不同通路诱导前胚层的发育。相关论文于2024年3月5日发表在《自然-细胞生物学》杂志上。

研究人员利用人类胚胎和上胚层与下胚层的干细胞模型，来研究着床后各胚层间的信号相互作用。研究发现上胚层和下胚层的前部特化与小鼠一样依赖于NODAL。

虽然BMP抑制了小鼠前部信号中心的特化，但它对人类前部信号中心的维持却至关重要。研究还发现，在小鼠和人类初始胚胎着床前上胚层发育过程中，其对BMP的需求截然不同。最后，研究发现NOTCH信号对人类上胚层的存活非常重要。该研究揭示了诱导这些早期胚胎发育阶段的保守因素和物种特异性因素，凸显了物种比较研究的优势。

据悉，胚胎发育需要上胚层、滋养层和下胚层之间的协调互动；上胚层形成胚胎、滋养层发育于胎盘、下胚层则发育为前部信号中心和卵黄囊。这些相互作用在人类胚胎发生过程中仍然鲜为人知，因为最近才有可能实现对其机理进行研究。

附：英文原文

Title: Distinct pathways drive anterior hypoblast specification in the implanting human embryo

Author: Weatherbee, Bailey A. T., Weberling, Antonia, Gantner, Carlos W., Iwamoto-Stohl, Lisa K., Barnikel, Zoe, Barrie, Amy, Campbell, Alison, Cunningham, Paula, Drezet, Cath, Efstathiou, Panagiota, Fishel, Simon, Vindel, Sandra Gutirrez, Lockwood, Megan, Oakley, Rebecca, Pretty, Catherine, Chowdhury, Nabiha, Richardson, Lucy, Mania, Anastasia, Weavers, Lauren, Christie, Leila, Elder, Kay, Snell, Phillip, Zernicka-Goetz, Magdalena

Issue&Volume: 2024-03-05

Abstract: Development requires coordinated interactions between the epiblast, which generates the embryo proper; the trophectoderm, which generates the placenta; and the hypoblast, which forms both the anterior signalling centre and the yolk sac. These interactions remain poorly understood in human embryogenesis because mechanistic studies have only recently become possible. Here we examine signalling interactions post-implantation using human embryos and stem cell models of the epiblast and hypoblast. We find anterior hypoblast specification is NODAL dependent, as in the mouse. However, while BMP inhibits anterior signalling centre specification in the mouse, it is essential for its maintenance in human. We also find contrasting requirements for BMP in the naive pre-implantation epiblast of mouse and human embryos. Finally, we show that NOTCH signalling is important for human epiblast survival. Our findings of conserved and species-specific factors that drive these early stages of embryonic development highlight the strengths of comparative species studies.

DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01367-1

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-024-01367-1