3D gastruloids: a novel frontier in stem cell-based in vitro modeling of mammalian gastrulation

3D gastruloids, aggregates of embryonic stem cells that recapitulate key aspects of gastrula-stage embryos, have emerged as a powerful tool to study the early stages of mammalian post-implantation development in vitro. Owing to their tractable nature and the relative ease by which they can be generated in large numbers, 3D gastruloids provide an unparalleled opportunity to study normal and pathological embryogenesis from a bottom-up perspective and in a high throughput manner. Here, we review how gastruloid models can be exploited to deepen our understanding of mammalian development. In addition, we discuss current limitations, potential clinical applications, and ethical implications of this emerging model system.