Embroyonic development, or more simply the development and formation of an embryo mostly through cell division and cellular differentiation, is one of the most important biological processes on Earth. This basic step is the cornerstone of all multicellular life on the planet, from the smallest nematode worm all the way through to the largest blue whale. And insight into how the earliest stages of development, and especially how they can be impacted by environmental conditions, has become a crucial topic in recent years due to the risks posed by climate change. It is for this reason that scientists at the University of Plymouth have developed the LabEmbryoCam using 3D printing.
As it names suggests, the LabEmbryoCam is a robotic instrument that has been designed to autonomously monitor the earliest stages of development in any aquatic species. Aquatic species are expected to be some of the most affected by climate change as it will cause warming in the oceans, disturbing habitats such as what has already been done to coral reefs. The LabEmbryoCam therefore has been conceived as an accessible and scalable way to visualize and measure development in large numbers of embryos simultaneously.
The LabEmbryoCam can be used to study early embryonic development of aquatic species, such as those pictured here
Dr. Oliver Tills, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth, explained, “We developed the LabEmbryoCam to provide an accessible window on how animals put themselves together, and what impact the environment has on this. It capitalizes on enabling technologies such as 3D printing and AI. The LabEmbryoCam is enabling us, and others, to address complex research questions that were not otherwise possible. Our opensource [sic] ethos makes the capabilities that are central to our own research available to others.”
Created over the past decade by biologists and technologists from the EmbryoPhenomic research group, the LabEmbryoCam was designed to help apply phenomics – the acquisition of high-dimensional organismal data on an organism-wide scale – in this sensitive and dynamic period of life. It has been designed with an open-source nature, so all the files for the LabEmbryoCam are available for free online. The researchers made the 3D printed components, over a 100 in total, using a Prusa MK3S 3D printer, but it is likely compatible with many FDM solutions. It is also possible to buy the instrument directly from Phenomyx CIC.
In terms of future developments, already the team has established a dedicated phenomics facility filled with LabEmbryoCam instruments in order to screen more than 3,000 embryos simultaneously. Additionally, it was used by researchers from the University of Plymouth on an expedition to Christmas Island to research the early life stages of the Christmas Island red crab.
The LabEmbryoCam set-up to monitor multiple embryos in the EmbryoPhenomics lab at the University of Plymouth
Dr. Tills concludes, “The instruments are already proving pivotal in understanding how embryos’ function and these responses differ markedly compared to later life. This is already proving critical in helping us not only understand the effects of global and ocean warming on individual species, but also to identify species, populations and individuals that are resilient to conditions we are likely to see on our planet in the future.” You can access the full PDF of the research HERE or go to the EmbryoPhenomics page HERE.
What do you think of the 3D printed LabEmbryoCam? Do you think it will help to save species from adverse environmental conditions caused by climate change? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.
*All Photo Credits: EmbryoPhenomics/University of Plymouth