Skin to Egg: Human Embryos Created in Lab

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Researchers have employed an innovative technique to cultivate human eggs within a laboratory setting, enabling them to subsequently undergo fertilization with another individual’s genetic material.(Image credit: Natalia Lebedinskaia via Getty Images)

Scientists have engineered human eggs inside a lab utilizing a method akin to the one employed to replicate the renowned Dolly the sheep, and then used in vitro fertilization (IVF) to transform them into embryos.

Even though this procedure is currently far from practical application, the anticipation is that it might eventually clear the path for novel treatments for infertility.

“Beyond offering optimism for numerous individuals dealing with infertility stemming from a deficiency of eggs or sperm, this approach could unlock the potential for same-sex couples to conceive a child genetically linked to both individuals,” stated Dr. Paula Amato, the study’s co-author and an obstetrics and gynecology professor at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine, in a release.

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The initial validation trial was documented on Tuesday (September 30) within the journal Nature Communications.

The egg-creation process entailed extracting the nucleus from a pre-existing human egg cell and substituting it with a nucleus taken from a human skin cell. This preliminary action, termed somatic cell nuclear transfer, has seen utilization in replicating a range of animals, notably Dolly.

Nonetheless, the OHSU researchers intended to produce a viable egg, rather than a clone; eggs possess half the count of chromosomes when contrasted with nonreproductive cells present in the body. During fertilization, the egg’s complement of 23 chromosomes merges with the 23 chromosomes derived from a sperm cell, culminating in a total of 46. In order to encourage their artificially created eggs to relinquish half of their chromosomes, the scientists administered an electric surge in conjunction with a medication referred to as roscovitine, which interferes with enzymes overseeing the cell cycle, which is the mechanism governing cellular division.

This experiment ultimately yielded 82 egg cells, which were subsequently fertilized with sperm via in vitro fertilization (IVF), as mentioned in the report. However, the fertilization phase is not yet flawless — only about 9% progressed to the “blastocyst” phase. At that juncture, the egg has divided, resulting in a hollow cluster of cells poised for introduction into the womb by means of IVF.

The majority of eggs fertilized in the trial failed to achieve the blastocyst phase; in fact, they merely partitioned enough to generate a total of four to eight cells.

The “modest” blastocyst development pace most likely emanates from a duo of contributing elements, the study’s authors stated within their manuscript. To begin with, chromosomal irregularities likely obstructed the fertilized eggs from undergoing additional division. In addition, the genes incorporated from skin cells were most likely not effectively reprogrammed to perpetuate embryonic growth. Put simply, the genes continued to behave, in particular ways, as though they were situated in skin cells, rather than the cells that take shape in the early stages of development.

The specific problem that posed the greater issue throughout the research remains ambiguous, although it’s plausible that both elements played a role, according to the authors.

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If this technique can at some point be improved for utility in fertility treatment, it nevertheless gives rise to ethical quandaries, as per experts communicating with NPR. As an illustration, it’s conceivable for individuals to collect skin cells from others — encompassing celebrities — without their permission and produce viable eggs using them, as noted by Ronald Green, a bioethicist at Dartmouth College, to NPR. “It’s a theoretical possibility, but not crazy,” he stated.

Different laboratories are pursuing distinct avenues to producing eggs within the lab. Some have made use of stem cells to cultivate the eggs, originating either from stem cells or from adult cells that were then converted back into stem cells. This strategy has met with a degree of success in mouse studies, but advancement on the human front has been progressing at a slower pace.

TOPICScloning

Nicoletta LaneseSocial Links NavigationChannel Editor, Health

Nicoletta Lanese is the health channel editor at Live Science and previously functioned as a news editor and staff writer for the publication. She possesses a graduate credential in science communication from UC Santa Cruz and undergraduate degrees in the realms of neuroscience and dance from the University of Florida. Her compositions have been featured in The Scientist, Science News, the Mercury News, Mongabay, and Stanford Medicine Magazine, alongside other outlets. Based in NYC, she also continues to be deeply invested in dance, participating in performances of local choreographers’ work.

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