| HRA005567
(Open Access)
|
Human gastrulation establishes the blueprint for three germ layers and the body axis in the early embryo. Concurrently, diverse extraembryonic cellular lineages are segregated to support proper gastrula development and pattern formation. The coordination of cellular patterning during this stage, along the anterior-posterior, left-right, and dorsal-ventral body axes, is regulated by dynamic signaling centers within the embryonic region and at the embryonic and extraembryonic interface. Comprehensive knowledge on the molecular code as well as the key events of embryonic and extraembryonic development in vivo, is crucial for comprehending human development and advancing stem-cell-based technologies. However, research on this stage is extremely challenging, particularly in humans, due to the inaccessibility and infrequent availability of in vivo embryos, as well as ethical concerns regarding in vitro cultured embryos. |
