Modeling monkey peri-gastrulation with stem cells

Following implantation, coordinated progression through gastrulation is essential for establishing the vertebrate body plan, yet mechanistic insight into this process in primates has been limited by the lack of faithful morphogenetic models. In a recent study, Liu and colleagues reported an improved stem cell-derived monkey embryo model that markedly increases developmental efficiency and potential, and more closely recapitulates multiaxial organization during gastrulation, providing a powerful platform for dissecting gene regulatory and cellular dynamics in early primate development.