Importance of In Vitro Embryo Model Procedure Standardization.

In vivo studies offer a detailed understanding of organism functioning, surpassing the insights provided by in vitro studies. These experiments are crucial for comprehending disease emergence, progression, and associated mechanisms in humans, as well as for developing treatments. When choosing experimental models, factors such as genomic similarity, physiological relevance, ethical appropriateness, and economic feasibility must be considered. Standardized protocols enhance the reliability, and reproducibility of scientific methods, promoting the assessment of research in the scientific literature. Researchers conducting embryo studies should establish and document standardized protocols for increased data comparability. Standardization is vital for scientific validity, reproducibility, and comparability in both in vivo and in vitro studies, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of experimental results and advancing scientific knowledge.

Advanced human embryo research beyond the 14-day limit: A bioethical perspective from the Muslim world.

Advancements in in vitro human embryo research prompt a reconsideration of the 14-day rule, highlighting the integration of global religious perspectives, particularly Islam. Through analyzing classical Muslim scholars' perspectives and modern interdisciplinary Islamic bioethical discussions, we advocate extending the 14-day limit to at least 40 days, with specified conditions.

Species Choice and Model Use: Reviving Research on Human Development.

While model organisms have had many historians, this article places studies of humans, and particularly our development, in the politics of species choice. Human embryos, investigated directly rather than via animal surrogates, have gone through cycles of attention and neglect. In the past 60 years they moved from the sidelines to center stage. Research was resuscitated in anatomy, launched in reproductive biomedicine, molecular genetics, and stem-cell science, and made attractive in developmental biology. I explain this surge of interest in terms of rivalry with models and reliance on them. The greater involvement of medicine in human reproduction, especially through in vitro fertilization, gave access to fresh sources of material that fed critiques of extrapolation from mice and met demands for clinical relevance or "translation." Yet much of the revival depended on models. Supply infrastructures and digital standards, including biobanks and virtual atlases, emulated community resources for model organisms. Novel culture, imaging, molecular, and postgenomic methods were perfected on less precious samples. Toing and froing from the mouse affirmed the necessity of the exemplary mammal and its insufficiency justified inquiries into humans. Another kind of model-organoids and embryo-like structures derived from stem cells-enabled experiments that encouraged the organization of a new field, human developmental biology. Research on humans has competed with and counted on models.

When boundaries benefit science and society.

In the rapidly moving field of stem cell and embryo research, research questions often sit at the intersection of scientific inquiry and ethical considerations. The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) produces guidelines to help navigate decisions in this area. For Cell's 50th Anniversary Focus on Developmental Biology, scientific editor Sarah Geisler discussed the importance of the ISSCR guidelines on stem cell and embryo research for both the stem cell community and the broader public with Amander Clark, Robin Lovell-Badge, and Janet Rossant, who have been involved in the ongoing evolution of the guidelines. A lightly edited transcript of their conversation is shared here.

IVF embryos in the bin, embryo-like structures in the spotlight.

Embryo-like structures (ELS) are intended for the study of embryonic development without the use of human supernumerary embryos. Scientists working in countries that do not allow research on embryos hope that these structures will replace natural embryos. The interest in ELS is largely based on two misconceptions: the belief that there is a shortage of research embryos and the belief that research on ELS will make research on natural embryos redundant. This paper argues that research efforts should be refocused on natural embryos.

Overview of the current situation of embryo donation in Belgian fertility centers.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to survey the current situation in Belgium regarding embryo donation (ED) practices and to explore the potential reasons for not offering this treatment option. STUDY DESIGN: A questionnaire was sent to all fertility centers in Belgium that are allowed to perform IVF regarding whether or not they perform ED for third parties, their overall experience with ED and the possible reasons for not doing it. The questionnaire was divided into three different sections, depending on whether the center currently performs ED for third parties, has never performed it or once performed it but no longer does. All respondents were anonymized. RESULTS: The questionnaire was returned by 16 out of 18 centers. Only three out of 16 centers currently perform ED. All these centers require additional actions before ED can be performed. Sometimes ED is not performed although it was indicated in the contract; the most important reasons are the need for additional investigations, the administrative obstacles and the non-eligibility of the embryos. Between 2017 and 2021, few ED were performed in these centers (n = 2, 38 and 6). Eight out of 16 centers previously offered ED but ceased. In two centers, patients who want to donate their supernumerary embryos are referred for treatment to a center where ED is performed, but none of these centers transfer embryos to a center performing ED. The main reasons for discontinuing ED were the additional investigations required and the unprofitable investment in time and personnel. Five out of 16 centers never offered ED. At one center, patients who still indicate ED for their supernumerary embryos are referred to a center performing ED. The reduction of the administrative burden and avoiding additional testing are the most indicated measures that could facilitate the introduction of an ED program. CONCLUSIONS: Embryo donation, although legally allowed, is currently hardly performed in Belgium. The reasons for this are mainly associated to additional mandatory post-hoc testing and the extra administrative burden which is not financially covered. Poor transparency and communication between Belgian centers may be an additional factor explaining the country's low embryo donation rate.

Potentiality switches and epistemic uncertainty: the Argument from Potential in times of human embryo-like structures.

Recent advancements in developmental biology enable the creation of embryo-like structures from human stem cells, which we refer to as human embryo-like structures (hELS). These structures provide promising tools to complement-and perhaps ultimately replace-the use of human embryos in clinical and fundamental research. But what if these hELS-when further improved-also have a claim to moral status? What would that imply for their research use? In this paper, we explore these questions in relation to the traditional answer as to why human embryos should be given greater protection than other (non-)human cells: the so-called Argument from Potential (AfP). According to the AfP, human embryos deserve special moral status because they have the unique potential to develop into persons. While some take the development of hELS to challenge the very foundations of the AfP, the ongoing debate suggests that its dismissal would be premature. Since the AfP is a spectrum of views with different moral implications, it does not need to imply that research with human embryos or hELS that (may) have 'active' potential should be completely off-limits. However, the problem with determining active potential in hELS is that this depends on development passing through 'potentiality switches' about the precise coordinates of which we are still in the dark. As long as this epistemic uncertainty persists, extending embryo research regulations to research with specific types of hELS would amount to a form of regulative precaution that as such would require further justification.

Transparency in controversial research: A review of human embryo research publication ethical disclosure statements.

In 2021, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) released updated guidelines that included human embryo research guidance. Requiring ethics statements in publications using human embryos is one way to verify adherence to these guidelines. A review of top-tier biomedical journal requirements identified only one publisher that requires a human embryo statement. A review of articles using human embryos from top-tier biomedical journals found that all contain some form of ethics statement, but they differ in content and location. Requiring ethics statements with specific elements could improve transparency and adherence to research guidelines.

El embrioide y sus leyes. Una breve aproximación al contexto internacional / L’embrioide i les seves lleis. Una breu aproximació al context internacional / The embryoid and its laws. A brief approach to the international context

En los últimos años el desarrollo de modelos in vitro con células madre humanas que simulan el desarrollo embrionario temprano ha vivido un gran progreso. Las dificultades para acceder a embriones humanos, la escasez de material embrionario y los desafíos técnicos, legales y éticos existentes sobre la investigación y experimentación con embriones humanos in vitro siguen siendo una barrera para avanzar en el conocimiento de la embriogénesis tras la gastrulación. Por ello distintos mecanismos celulares subyacentes a la formación de las líneas celulares en los seres humanos siguen siendo desconocidos. En el presente trabajo intentaremos reflejar varios de los aspectos que son motivo de incertidumbres jurídicas internacionales en relación con la investigación con embrioides como modelo experimental.(AU)

En els últims anys el desenvolupament de models in vitroamb cèl·lules mare humanes que simulen el desenvolupament embrionari primerenc ha viscut un gran progrés. Les dificultats per a accedir a embrions humans, l'escassetat de material embrionari i els desafiaments tècnics, legals i ètics existents sobre la recerca i experimentació amb embrions humans in vitrocontinuen sent una barrera per a avançar en el coneixement de la embriogènesi després de la gastrulació. Per això diferents mecanismes cel·lulars subjacents a la formació de les línies cel·lulars en els éssers humans continuen sent desconeguts. En el present treball intentaré reflectir diversos dels aspectes que són motiu d'incerteses jurídiques internacionals en relació amb la recerca amb embrioides com a model experimental.(AU)

In recent years, the development of in vitromodels with human stem cells that simulate early embryonic development has experienced great progress. The difficulties in accessing human embryos, the scarcity of embryonic material, and the existing technical, legal, and ethical challenges regarding research and experimentation with in vitrohuman embryos still represents a barrier to advancing in the knowledge of post-gastrulation embryogenesis. Therefore, different cellular mechanisms underlying the formation of cell lines in humans remain unknown. In the present work Iwill try to reflect several of the aspects that are the cause of internationallegal uncertainties in relation to research with embryoids as an experimental model.(AU)

The Ethics of Cellular Reprogramming.

Louise Brown's birth in 1978 heralded a new era not just in reproductive technology, but in the relationship between science, cells, and society. For the first time, human embryos could be created, selected, studied, manipulated, frozen, altered, or destroyed, outside the human body. But with this possibility came a plethora of ethical questions. Is it acceptable to destroy a human embryo for the purpose of research? Or to create an embryo with the specific purpose of destroying it for research? In an attempt to construct ethical and legal frameworks for the new era of cellular reprogramming, legislators and ethicists have tried to distinguish between different kinds of biological entity. We treat cells differently depending on whether they are human or animal, somatic cells or gametes, and on whether they are embryos or not. But this approach to the ethics of cellular reprogramming is doomed to failure for the simple reason that cellular reprogramming in itself destroys the distinctions that the law requires to function. In this article, we explore the historical trajectory of cellular reprogramming and its relationship with ethics and society. We suggest that the early hype of embryo research has not obviously fulfilled expectations, but since new avenues of research are continuously opening, it is hard to say definitely that these promises have been broken. We explore the forthcoming challenges posed by the creation of DNA from scratch in the laboratory, and the implications of this for understandings of identity, privacy, and reproduction. We conclude that while ethics used to seek answers in biological facts, this is no longer possible, and a new approach is required.