Pluripotent stem cells derived from the early mammalian embryo offer a convenient model system for studying cell fate decisions in embryogenesis. The last 10 years have seen a boom in the popularity of two-dimensional micropatterns and three-dimensional stem cell culture systems as a way to recreate the architecture and interactions of particular cell populations during development. These methods enable the controlled exploration of cellular organization and patterning during development, using cell lines instead of embryos. They have established a new class of in vitro model system for pre-implantation and peri-implantation embryogenesis, ranging from models of the blastocyst stage, through gastrulation and toward early organogenesis. This review aims to set these systems in context and to highlight the strengths and suitability of each approach in modelling early mammalian development.

源自哺乳动物早期胚胎的多能干细胞为研究胚胎发生中的细胞命运决定提供了一个方便的模型系统。在过去的十年中，二维微模式和三维干细胞培养系统作为在开发过程中重现特定细胞群体的结构和相互作用的一种方式而迅速普及。这些方法可以使用细胞系代替胚胎，从而在发育过程中对细胞组织和模式进行受控探索。他们建立了新的体外类别植入前和植入前后胚胎发生的模型系统，范围从胚泡阶段的模型到胃胚形成，直至早期器官发生。这篇综述旨在将这些系统放在背景中，并强调每种方法在模拟哺乳动物早期发育中的优势和适用性。