‘Blastoids’ made of stem cells offer a new way to study fertility

Models of early-stage embryos could be used to research contraceptives too

image of a blastoid sphere with blue and pink hues

Human stem cells can be used to create models called blastoids (one shown that has been chemically altered to fluoresce) for studying how early-stage embryos implant into the lining of the uterus.

© N. Rivron/IMBA, Nature

Newly created “blastoids” could give scientists a faster and simpler way to research embryonic development than using fertilized human eggs.