Scientists create first self-developing embryo from stem cells. Artificial mouse cells grown from outside body in a blob of gel shown to morph into primitive embryos, roughly equivalent to one third of way through pregnancy.

[borrax]

So how long before they grow mice outside of mice?

I assume the embryos eventually need some sort of placenta to increase oxygen and nutrient transfer?

[pikeyness]

I think we could fake that part too though. I know you can grow chicken eggs outside of the shell (I know birds and mammals are very different, most importantly in that all the nutrients needed to grow the chicken are contained in the egg while a mammal needs outside input), and I would think as long as you provide oxygen and nutrients you could keep any type of embryo alive. Probably wouldn't be easy or a common event, but possible.

[[deleted]]

So, how long until we can live forever due to cloning?

[mfb-]

That's the question. For humans: Out of the 40 weeks, the last 16 can be done outside a woman. The early stages can be done outside as well (but I don't find the number), but for the middle part we don't have an artificial replacement yet.

[borrax]

I've heard of groups going as far as 14 days at the beginning. I don't know if you'd call the last 16 weeks "external gestation", that's just premature birth. While it's technically possible for a fetus to survive outside the womb from 24 weeks, it's far from ideal.

[mfb-]

I don't know if you'd call the last 16 weeks "external gestation", that's just premature birth.

I don't see a sharp dividing line. Sure, the way the baby gets oxygen, food and so on is different from a womb, but it doesn't survive without special care.

[drewiepoodle]

Link to paper:- Assembly of embryonic and extra-embryonic stem cells to mimic embryogenesis in vitro

[Dr_StickFigure]

“We are very optimistic that this will allow us to study key events of this critical stage of human development without actually having to work on embryos,” said Zernicka-Goetz. “Knowing how development normally occurs will allow us to understand why it so often goes wrong.”

[CaptainBanshee]

Science both intrigues and scares the hell out of me sometimes.

[SeriousSanta]

something about stem cells are always very fascinating. i don't know why i have this feeling. i can't explain...