“Early organogenesis is a crucial stage in embryonic development, characterised by extensive cell fate specification to initiate organ formation but also by a high susceptibility to developmental defects,” they wrote in an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell last week.
The researchers are from Southeast University in Nanjing, BGI-Research, Fujian Medical University, Sichuan University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen, Guangzhou Laboratory and the University of Science and Technology of China.
“A single fertilised egg gives rise to hundreds of cell types that form different tissues and organs. This process is intricately orchestrated. If abnormalities occur, they are likely to lead to diseases,” co-corresponding author Fang Xiaodong, vice-president of BGI-Research, said.
