Researchers are getting organoids pregnant with human embryos

Researchers have successfully replicated the early stages of pregnancy in a lab setting by merging human embryos with organoids made of endometrial cells. These experiments, detailed in three papers published by Cell Press, aim to enhance understanding of early pregnancy and improve IVF success rates. The use of engineered tissues in these 3D combinations provides a comprehensive model of the initial days of pregnancy. The Beijing team's work involves testing various drugs on organoids made from tissue of women with repeated IVF failures to potentially identify treatments that could improve implantation success rates. Future advancements may include the development of a more realistic organoid system with features like blood vessels and circulation, though growing embryos to full term in a lab setting remains a distant possibility.