Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed embryo-like structures that mimic aspects of early human development, including the production of blood stem cells. These new self-organizing embryo-like structures were developed using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) to produce three-dimensional structures, dubbed “hematoids,” which simulate post-gastrulation human embryogenesis and, within about two weeks, begin producing hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that can differentiate into both red and white blood cells.

“It was an exciting moment when the blood red color appeared in the dish—it was visible even to the naked eye,” said Jitesh Neupane, PhD, a stem cell and developmental biologist at the University of Cambridge’s Gurdon Institute and first author of the study, publish

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