engleski

ORGAN CULTURE IN VITRO AND TRANSPLANTATION IN VIVO OF MAMMALIAN EMBRYONIC GERM-LAYERS

Investigation of developmental processes in the postimplantation mammalian embryo has been for decades in the centre of research activities "Zagreb School of Mammalian Embryology". Transplantation of the mouse embryo under the kidney capsule revealed its potential to produce teratocarcinoma and transplantation of the rat germ-layers under the kidney capsule has revealed the developmental potential of the embryonic ectoderm to give rise to definitive ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. An unique in vitro organ culture model of the postimplantation mammalian embryo-proper (without its extraembryonic parts) was established. This is the only model system in which to grow mammalian postimplantation embryo in chemically-defined serum-free conditions where interactions with known or unknown constituents of serum can be avoided. Influence of teratogenic factors upon growth or differentiation of various tissues has been investigated in this mode. Differentiation of tissues obtained in vitro by cultivation of the rat mammalian embryo even in the protein-free medium could be improved by subsequent transplantation of explants in vivo. Methods such as cultivation in vitro and transplantation in vivo of various stem cells are today considered also for tissue engineering. A whole new field of regenerative human medicine seems to be emerging opening a variety of ethical questions which are intensively discussed among scientists and laymen.

mammalian embryo; serum-free; in vitro; transplantation

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