Pure Science: Scientists study human embryo in its inaccessible stage for first time

Human embryos can either be studied in the lab for 14 days after fertilisation, or after 12 weeks when a pregnancy is terminated and an embryo is donated. However, the process of gastrulation, where the embryo develops a “plan” for the body, occurs between 14 and 21 days, where it is hard to observe and study. ThePrint’s Sandhya Ramesh explains new findings from Oxford University where researchers for the first time study a donated embryo aged 16 to 19 days after fertilisation, offering never-before-seen insights into human development.