1Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK;
2Division of Reproductive, Stem Cell and Perinatal Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA;
3Dunlevie Maternal Fetal Medicine Center for Discovery, Innovation and Impact, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, USA;
4Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, USA;
5Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain;
6IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Valencia, Spain;
7Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK;
8Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Collection Citation: Matteo A. Molè, Sarah Elderkin, Irene Zorzan, Nicole Horsley, Francisco Domínguez, Peter Rugg-Gunn 2025. [Start Here] Endrometrial Scaffold Culture System. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.rm7vzx67xgx1/v1
License: This is an open access collection distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this collection and it's working
Created: September 26, 2023
Last Modified: December 23, 2025
Collection Integer ID: 88398
Keywords: human, embryo, blastoid, endometrial, culture, blastoid culture in endometrial scaffold, culture of human endometrial stromal cell, endometrial culture system, human endometrial stromal cells culture, culture of human endometrial epithelial cell, blastoids in an endometrial culture system, human endometrial biopsies culture, culture in endometrial scaffold, endrometrial scaffold culture system, endometrial scaffold system, assembly of endometrial scaffold system, endometrial scaffold, human endometrial epithelial cells assembly, human endometrial stromal cell, endometrial stromal cell, blastoids in the endometrial system, human endometrial biopsy, culturing human embryo, human endometrial epithelial cell, endometrial system, culture of human pluripotent stem cell, human embryo, culturing embryo, blastoid culture, embryo, culturing human blastoid, derived blastoid, human pluripotent stem cell, generation of blastoid, human stem cell, human blastoid, naïve conditions generation of blastoid, overview of the process
Funders Acknowledgements:
Wellcome
Grant ID: 215116/Z/18/Z
Abstract
This is a collection of protocols for culturing human embryos and human stem cell-derived blastoids in an endometrial culture system.
This culture system is comprised of multiple parts which have been broken out into separate protocols according to logical sections of work.
This list of protocols below is the place to start and to get an overview of the process. Some aspects of this process need to be performed in parallel so that all of the components are ready to be included in the culture system at the appropriate time.
The steps to perform to prepare the endometrial culture system are:
Isolation of Cells from Human Endometrial Biopsies
Culture of Human Endometrial Stromal Cells
Culture of Human Endometrial Epithelial Cells
Assembly of Endometrial Scaffold Systems
If you are culturing human embryos then follow:
Human Embryo Thawing
If you are culturing human blastoids then follow:
Culture of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells in Naïve Conditions Generation of Blastoids
Finally, the protocol for culturing embryos or blastoids in the endometrial system is:
Human Embryo or Blastoid Culture in Endometrial Scaffolds
Each protocol links to any pre-requisite protocols within it so as to be clear what steps need to have been performed before beginning any step.
