Highlights in this article
Each animal displays a different rate of embryonic development. However, the cause of this alteration was unknown. Dr. Olivier Pourquié’s research group at Harvard University showed that metabolic rates and related global protein synthesis can differ in the rate of embryonic development. This research will accelerate the study of differentiation of human stem cells for disease modelling and cell-based therapies.
Background
The development of a species is a complex yet fascinating process. From conception to birth, a species’ development is shaped by its environment, its genetic makeup, and a variety of other factors. At the earliest stages of development, a species is born from a combination of genetic material from its parents. This genetic material contains the instructions for building an organism and guiding its development. As the organism grows, this genetic material is expressed in the form of proteins, which are the building blocks of the organism’s body. As the organism matures, these proteins are further expressed and organized into distinct tissues and organs. Throughout the course of a species’ development, environmental influences play an important role. For example, the availability of food and water, the temperature of the environment, and the presence of predators can all shape a species’ development. In addition, the species’ interactions with other organisms can influence its development. For example, social interactions between members of a species can determine the kinds of behaviors they develop. Finally, the species’ evolution over time can also shape its development. During evolution, a species will develop adaptations to its environment or to its interactions with other species. These adaptations can include physical changes, such as longer legs or thicker fur, or behavioral changes, such as the development of specialized mating rituals. From the earliest stages of conception to the emergence of an adult organism, species development is subject to the influences of genetics, environment, and evolution. Understanding the processes that shape species development can provide insight into the evolution of species and the complexity of life.
Discovery
This study investigates the cause of interspecies variation in embryonic development rates. Using pluripotent stem cells, the research group established an in vitro system that recapitulates the difference in developmental rate between mouse and human embryos. They show that mass-specific metabolic rates scale with the developmental rate and are higher in mouse cells than in human cells. Their results suggest that the regulation of metabolic rates may explain, at least in part, the temporal differences seen in the development of mouse and human embryos. Their findings may have implications for manipulating developmental rate, with applications in accelerating the differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells for disease modelling and cell-based therapies. Different species display variation in the rate of embryonic development, but the cause of these varying speeds is unknown. They use pluripotent stem cells to establish an in vitro system that recreates the difference in rate between mouse and human embryos. Their experiments have revealed a correlation between metabolic rate and developmental speed, and that manipulating the cellular NAD+/NADH redox balance can influence the rate of protein synthesis and thus the speed of development. This work provides a basis for manipulating developmental rate, with potential applications for accelerating the differentiation of human stem cells for disease modelling and cell-based therapies.
For more information:
Nature 2023 1/4
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05574-4
Metabolic regulation of species-specific developmental rates
Dr. Olivier Pourquié’s website: