A research team led by Prof. YU Leqian from the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with international partners, has developed a 3D uterine embryo implantation simulation chip, marking the first time the full process of human embryo implantation has been replicated in a laboratory setting.

The study was recently published in the journal Cell.

Data shows that China's infertility population has exceeded 40 million. Among patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment, approximately 10% experience repeated unsuccessful embryo implantations, leading to recurrent implantation failure (RIF)—a frustrating clinical dilemma. Previously, diagnosing the cause of RIF was akin to "searching for a needle in a haystack," and treatments often relied on doctors' experiential "trial and error," resulting in inconsistent efficacy.

To address this challenge, the team developed a 3D uterine embryo implantation simulation chip. Using the chip, they detected abnormalities in endometrial cells from RIF patients, including increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation. The study found that the blastocyst implantation rate using endometrial cells from RIF patients was only 60% of that using cells from healthy individuals. Furthermore, the post-implantation embryonic developmental capacity was severely impaired—directly explaining the clinical phenomenon of "successful embryo transfer but subsequent pregnancy loss."

Additionally, the researchers have already used the chip to test thousands of approved medications. By targeting specific clinical phenotypes of individual patients, they successfully identified targeted drugs that significantly improve endometrial receptivity and promote embryo implantation and development. This means future treatments could shift from "broad-spectrum trials" to "personalized precision medicine," eliminating ineffective interventions.

Notably, the study confirmed that models constructed using endometrial cells derived from patients' menstrual blood are highly consistent with those built using cells obtained via traditional hysteroscopic biopsy. This advancement may obviate the need for surgical procedures in future testing, eliminating surgical trauma and associated risks while improving patient acceptance and accessibility to diagnosis.

The team noted that the 3D uterine embryo implantation simulation chip not only opens a "black box" for scientific exploration into early human development but also signals a new phase in assisted reproductive diagnosis and treatment—shifting from "experience-driven" to "technology- and precision-driven" care.