Human trunk embryoids with patterned anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral body axes: utility for understanding human development and disease

Wu, T.; Yu, H.; Wong, B. S. H.; Teng, K.; Xiang, W.; Xu, L.; Zhang, J.; Kam, A. Y. F.; Ng, E. S. K.; Vong, J.; Gao, B.; Tsui, S. K. W.; Dalton, S.

doi:10.64898/2025.12.20.695666

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2025.12.20.695666

Human trunk embryoids with patterned anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral body axes: utility for understanding human development and disease

Wu, T.·Yu, H.·Wong, B. S. H.·Teng, K.·Xiang, W.·Xu, L.·Zhang, J.·Kam, A. Y. F.·Ng, E. S. K.·Vong, J.·Gao, B.·Tsui, S. K. W.·Dalton, S.

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Abstract

Human embryoid models enable mechanistic studies of development and disease. We generated trunk embryoids from human pluripotent stem cells that recapitulate posterior trunk formation at Carnegie stage (CS) 8-10, with patterned anterior-posterior (A-P) and dorsal-ventral (D-V) axes. These self-organizing structures comprise a ventral notochord, dorsal neural tube, floor plate and bilateral somites. Genetic and chemical perturbations of SHH signaling confirmed the notochords central role in D-V patterning. Moreover, VANGL1/2 loss-of-function mutations recapitulated mouse phenotypes, including axial truncation and somite segmentation failure. This model enables detailed study of key developmental events that underlie posterior trunk formation and provides a promising platform for human disease modeling.

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Wu, T., Yu, H., Wong, B. S. H., Teng, K., Xiang, W., Xu, L., Zhang, J., Kam, A. Y. F., Ng, E. S. K., Vong, J., Gao, B., Tsui, S. K. W., Dalton, S.. 2025-12-22. Human trunk embryoids with patterned anterior-posterior and dorsal-ventral body axes: utility for understanding human development and disease. https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.20.695666

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