Advancement on the Differentiation and Formation of Mouse Trophectoderm Lineage and Trophoblast Stem Cells

GU Zhaolei^1#, JIANG Nianfeng^2#, ZHANG Jian^1,2, GUO Wei¹*, GAO Yake¹*

(¹Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China; ²Center for Animal Research and Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China)

Abstract:

In mammals, the trophectoderm plays a crucial role in mediating embryo implantation and placenta formation, which are vital for facilitating nutrient and gas exchanges between the mother and fetus, guiding vascular remodeling, and protecting the fetus from maternal immune rejection. While trophectoderm cells do not directly contribute to embryonic development, they are indispensable for maintaining normal fetal growth. Moreover, research on trophoblast stem cells lags significantly compared to mouse embryonic stem cells. Trophoblast stem cells are an important in vitro model for studying embryonic lineage differentiation and reconstructing blastoids. They also hold significant implications in unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying human embryo implantation failure and early abortion. Based on these, this review systematically summarizes advancements in trophectoderm differentiation and trophoblast stem cell research in mice. Moreover, this review proposes future directions of trophoblast stem cells to provide novel insights into enhancing their functionality and achieving effective implantation of reconstructed blastoids.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2025.05.0016