Scientists grow human blood using embryo-like stem cells in lab breakthrough
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found a new way to produce human blood cells in the lab that mimics how they form naturally in embryos. Their discovery could pave the way to simulate blood disorders like leukemia and produce long-lasting stem cells for transplants.
“It was an exciting moment when the blood red color appeared in the dish – it was visible even to the naked eye,” said Dr. Jitesh Neupane, first author of the study from Cambridge’s Gurdon Institute.
The team used human stem cells to create three-dimensional, embryo-like structures that replicate early human development, including the formation of blood stem cells.
These cells, known as hematopoietic stem cells, are the body’s building blocks for every type of blood cell, from oxygen-carrying red cells to immune-boosting white cells.
Tiny models, big promise
The Cambridge scientists call their structures “hematoids.” These self-organizing clusters start producing blood after about two weeks in the lab, mimicking the process seen in human embryos.
Hematoids can’t develop into embryos because they lack tissues such as the yolk sac and placenta. But their ability to form blood offers a powerful window into early human development.
“Our new model mimics human foetal blood development in the lab,” said Neupane. “This sheds light on how blood cells naturally form during human embryogenesis, offering potential medical advances to screen drugs, study early blood and immune development, and model blood disorders like leukaemia.”
The stem cells used to make hematoids can come from any human cell — opening the door to personalized medicine. One day, doctors could produce blood fully compatible with a patient’s body, avoiding rejection risks.
Existing methods for creating blood stem cells rely on complex cocktails of growth proteins. In contrast, this approach lets cells self-direct their own growth, forming both blood and beating heart cells within the same system, much like nature intended.
Building blocks of life
Under a microscope, the hematoids follow a remarkably lifelike rhythm. By the second day, they form three layers — ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm — the foundational tissues that shape all organs and systems.
By day eight, beating heart cells emerge. By day thirteen, red patches of blood appear. Tests showed these lab-grown stem cells can turn into different blood types, including immune cells such as T-cells.
“This model offers a powerful new way to study blood development in the early human embryo,” said Professor Azim Surani, senior author of the paper. “Although it is still in the early stages, the ability to produce human blood cells in the lab marks a significant step towards future regenerative therapies.”
Dr. Geraldine Jowett, a co-first author, added: “Hematoids capture the second wave of blood development that can give rise to specialised immune cells or adaptive lymphoid cells, like T cells — opening up exciting avenues for modelling healthy and cancerous blood development.”
The findings mark a crucial advance in understanding how human life begins, and how it might be repaired. The study appears in Cell Reports.
Source: Interesting Engineering
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Scientists grow human blood using embryo-like stem cells in lab breakthrough