Cell biology of fetal tissues and fundamental medicine

Abstract

During the recent decade the interests of specialists in experimental mammalian embryology were focused on studies of signal networks, regulatory programs, phenotype and behavior of embryonic and mesenchymal stem cells in culture, which triggered more active use of pluripotent stem cells in cell technologies. Laboratory preparation of primary induction tissue (extraembryonic endoderm, mesoderm, hypoblast, nodule, notochord, primary streak) remains impossible, but primary and secondary organizers and antagonist tissues are essential for simulation of axial development. Only in these sophisticated heterogeneous cell system will it be possible to simulate the real physiology and bioinformatics of the embryonic leaflets, their staged transformation into definitive organs. At present, mammalian and human fetal tissues remain the carriers of unique information of the middle and late embryogenesis. For this reason, functional and therapeutic activities of fetal cells and tissues are intensely studied in foreign countries; numerous banks of fetal somatic and stem cells are created. Banks of extraembryonic umbilical blood tissue have been created in Russia. However, the biological and information potentials of fetal/embryonic tissue remain not realized at the theoretical and applied levels.