Jinglei ZHAI

Abnormalities in early embryogenesis are directly linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Thus, studying early embryogenesis events are essential for understanding pathological embryonic development. The in vitro culture of human embryos to embryonic day E14 provides a window into early embryogenesis. However, due to international ethical limitations and the norms for clinic diagnosis and treatment, our knowledge about the human embryo gastrulation and early organogenesis still has many gaps.

Jinglei Zhai focuses on the early embryonic development of primates, especially from gastrulation to early organogenesis. In order to reveal the developmental events and potential mechanisms of this stage, she and her team have utilized non-human primate macaques as models (cynomolgus macaque) and constructed a series of in vivo and in vitro research systems by combining new technologies such as biomaterials, bioimaging, stem cell-based models, and single-cell multi omics sequencing.

By utilizing single-cell transcriptome technology and cynomolgus monkey embryos, they revealed the cellular composition, molecular characteristics, lineage specialization processes, and molecular regulatory mechanisms from gastrulation to early organogenesis in primate embryos. This work filled a significant knowledge gap in this field.

Based on the in vivo research, Jinglei’s team developed a series of novel in vitro culture systems for mammalian embryos. Recently, the newly established 3D prolonged in vitro culture (pIVC) system could support the development of cynomolgus macaque embryos to up to 25 days post-fertilization. The specific developmental events and cell fate changes during primate gastrulation and early neurulation could be recapitulated. The in vitro culture systems provide new platforms for understanding the mechanisms of early human embryonic development and the pathology of diseases related to developmental abnormalities.