Interactive 3D embryo atlas reveals human development in detail
Author: Dr Elena Kontogianni
The development of the human embryo has been revealed in unprecedented detail in an interactive three-dimensional atlas built by a team of scientists in Netherlands.
It offers an unparalleled glimpse into the first eight weeks of human development.
“Everyone thinks we already know this, but I believe we know more about the moon than about our own development,” said Bernadette de Bakker, of the University of Amsterdam and he added “many textbook depictions of embryo development are based on observations made many decades ago, and often contain details inferred from studies on mouse or chick embryos.”
The new resource will offer researchers the chance to explore the intricate changes occurring in the first weeks of life from a series of human specimens, aiding vital research. “It is important to understand normal human embryology to clarify how inborn defects and congenital malformations occur,” said de Bakker.
Read more: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/354/6315/aag0053
Image credit: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/354/6315/aag0053
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