Highly efficient construction of monkey blastoid capsules from aged somatic cells

Abstract

Abstract Blastoids—blastocyst-like structures created in vitro—emerge as a valuable model for early embryonic development research. Non-human primates stem cell-derived blastoids are an ethically viable alternative to human counterparts, yet the low formation efficiency of monkey blastoid cavities, typically below 30%, has limited their utility. Prior research has predominantly utilized embryonic stem cells. In this work, we demonstrate the efficient generation of blastoids from induced pluripotent stem cells and somatic cell nuclear transfer embryonic stem cells derived from aged monkeys, achieving an 80% formation efficiency. We also introduce a hydrogel-based microfluidics platform for the scalable and reproducible production of size-adjustable, biodegradable blastoid capsules, providing a stable 3D structure and mechanical protection. This advancement in the high-efficiency, scalable production of monkey blastoid capsules from reprogrammed aged somatic cells significantly enhances the study of embryonic development and holds promise for regenerative medicine.