‘Embryo Models’ Challenge the Legal, Ethical, and Biological Concepts of an ‘Embryo’

July 24, 2023

(Wired) – Until recently, embryo models bore only a sketchy resemblance to real embryos, and then only at the very earliest stages of growth. But the latest experiments by Zernicka-Goetz, Hanna, and others, including the implantation experiments in Shanghai, now force us to wonder how well and how far these entities can reenact the growth of natural embryos. Even if it is currently a distant hypothetical prospect, some researchers see no reason why embryo models might not eventually have the potential to develop all the way into a baby. (Read More)