The first CNRS podcast “Qu’est-ce que tu cherche?”, produced by Laure Sari as part of the SAPS “Science avec et pour la société” project, was published on Monday June 3. In it, Pierre-François Lenne tells us about gastrulation, the essential stage in the creation of the first tissues that will later give rise to the different parts of the body.

How do cells organize themselves to form the body plan? How are organs formed? How does the heart emerge from the dance of cells? Thanks to gastruloids, simplified systems that mimic the early stages of development, scientists have the first answers.