Scientists use stem cells to create models of human embryos and study our earliest days
By LAURA UNGAR
AP Science Writer
Scientists have created embryo models to help study the mysteries of early human development, the medical problems that happen before birth and why many pregnancies fail. These models are created from stem cells, not egg and sperm, and can’t grow into babies. Using models avoids the controversy of using real embryos in research. For the models, scientists use stem cells, which are capable of developing into many different types of cells or tissues in the body. Several groups are working on the models, including two that published studies Tuesday in the journal Nature. Other scientists published work this month that hasn’t yet been reviewed by peers.
