Early studies in experimental models such as Drosophila, mouse and frog have laid the foundation of human developmental biology. Nevertheless, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and somatic cell nuclear transfer(NT)-ESCs, are essential for determining human-specific aspects of normal human development and disease mechanisms. In recent years, the optimization of differentiation methods to generate ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm from hPSCs, the advancement of novel technologies for gene editing like CRISPR/Cas9 system and 3D organoid system had become instrumental to address specific aspects of normal and altered lineage development. Such advancements might lead to novel approaches for treating human diseases with effective strategies.
A variety of methods have been developed to elucidate mechanisms of human normal differentiation and to understand the altered molecular and cellular processes that trigger different pathologies. This Research Topic aims to cover work on relevant hPSC-based model systems which help to investigate cellular and mechanisms of normal and pathological human development. Papers related, but not limited to, gene editing, organoid and assembloid models, disease mechanisms, drug screening and directed differentiation, are welcome.
We welcome original research, review articles, methods, resources and perspectives focusing on:
- Understanding ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm normal and altered differentiation
- Optimized differentiation systems
- Normal and disease models based on 3D organoid systems
- Gene-editing tools for developmental biology studies and disease modeling
Early studies in experimental models such as Drosophila, mouse and frog have laid the foundation of human developmental biology. Nevertheless, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and somatic cell nuclear transfer(NT)-ESCs, are essential for determining human-specific aspects of normal human development and disease mechanisms. In recent years, the optimization of differentiation methods to generate ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm from hPSCs, the advancement of novel technologies for gene editing like CRISPR/Cas9 system and 3D organoid system had become instrumental to address specific aspects of normal and altered lineage development. Such advancements might lead to novel approaches for treating human diseases with effective strategies.
A variety of methods have been developed to elucidate mechanisms of human normal differentiation and to understand the altered molecular and cellular processes that trigger different pathologies. This Research Topic aims to cover work on relevant hPSC-based model systems which help to investigate cellular and mechanisms of normal and pathological human development. Papers related, but not limited to, gene editing, organoid and assembloid models, disease mechanisms, drug screening and directed differentiation, are welcome.
We welcome original research, review articles, methods, resources and perspectives focusing on:
- Understanding ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm normal and altered differentiation
- Optimized differentiation systems
- Normal and disease models based on 3D organoid systems
- Gene-editing tools for developmental biology studies and disease modeling
