Chicken Eggs instead of Mouse Embryos
In order to study certain aspects of vertebrate development, researchers from the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Basel are exploring the use of chicken eggs as an alternative to mice. This method avoids the need to sacrifice mother animals to obtain embryos.
The project focuses on identifying genetic switches that regulate the formation of various cell types during embryonic development, such as those for muscles, nerves, or the skeleton. Understanding these processes can aid in the growth of different tissue types in a Petri dish, which could then be used for tissue regeneration or replacement in humans.
In the initial phase, the research team uses genomic data to identify possible molecular switches. To precisely understand the function of these switches, the researchers need to conduct embryo studies as the formation of cell types involves intricate interactions with the embryonic environment. To achieve this, the team uses CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to inactivate the identified gene switches in chicken embryos.
By utilizing this innovative approach, the research team is able to eliminate the need for mouse embryos in their project, thereby eliminating the need to sacrifice mother animals.
The research group received financial support for their project as a part of the research funding provided by the Swiss 3R Competence Centre.
