德国马克斯·普朗克分子遗传学研究所Bernhard G. Herrmann等研究人员合作发现，小鼠胚胎干细胞能够自组织成具有神经管和体节的象鼻状结构。2020年12月11日，国际知名学术期刊《科学》发表了这一成果。

研究人员发现多能小鼠胚胎干细胞（mESCs）形成聚集体，将其嵌入细胞外基质化合物中后会诱导形成高度组织化的“象鼻状结构”（TLS），包括神经管和体节。比较性单细胞RNA测序分析证实该过程与小鼠发育高度相似，并且遵循相同的逐步基因调节程序。Tbx6基因敲除TLS产生了更多的神经管，这反映了胚胎突变体的表型，并且化学调节可能诱导过量的体节形成。

TLS因此揭示了一种高级的自组织性，并提供了一个强大的平台来研究培养皿中的着床后胚胎发生。

据介绍，着床后胚胎发生是一个高度动态的过程，包括多个谱系决定和形态发生变化，这些变化对于体内深度分析是无法实现的。

附：英文原文

Title: Mouse embryonic stem cells self-organize into trunk-like structures with neural tube and somites

Author: Jesse V. Veenvliet, Adriano Bolondi, Helene Kretzmer, Leah Haut, Manuela Scholze-Wittler, Dennis Schifferl, Frederic Koch, Léo Guignard, Abhishek Sampath Kumar, Milena Pustet, Simon Heimann, René Buschow, Lars Wittler, Bernd Timmermann, Alexander Meissner, Bernhard G. Herrmann

Issue&Volume: 2020/12/11

Abstract: Post-implantation embryogenesis is a highly dynamic process comprising multiple lineage decisions and morphogenetic changes that are inaccessible to deep analysis in vivo. We found that pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) form aggregates that upon embedding in an extracellular matrix compound induce the formation of highly organized “trunk-like structures” (TLSs) comprising the neural tube and somites. Comparative single-cell RNA sequencing analysis confirmed that this process is highly analogous to mouse development and follows the same stepwise gene-regulatory program. Tbx6 knockout TLSs developed additional neural tubes mirroring the embryonic mutant phenotype, and chemical modulation could induce excess somite formation. TLSs thus reveal an advanced level of self-organization and provide a powerful platform for investigating post-implantation embryogenesis in a dish.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aba4937

Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6522/eaba4937