Progress in Reproductive Technology: Creating Human Eggs from Skin Cells
Women in their 60s and 70s may someday have the chance to have children who are genetically related to them. Researchers are developing innovative techniques to turn DNA from skin cells into human eggs, which can then lead to the creation of embryos.
At Oregon Health and Science University, scientists have successfully created early-stage human embryos using DNA harvested from skin cells and fertilized with sperm. This experimental work could potentially benefit older women who no longer have viable eggs, as well as same-sex couples looking to have children that share genetic ties with both partners.
Experts caution that this research is still in its infancy, but if it continues to progress, clinical applications might be realized within the next 10 to 15 years.
Concerns about the Research and Future Implications
Dr. Paulo Amato, a reproductive endocrinologist and professor at Oregon Health and Science University, provided insights into the study, calling it promising yet preliminary. He noted, “If successful, it could offer hope for couples struggling with infertility, particularly older women.”
However, he also pointed out significant health risks associated with pregnancy at an advanced age. “We must remember that someone has to carry that pregnancy,” Amato stated. He suggested that while it’s theoretically possible for women in their 60s and 70s to have genetically related children, practical implications remain complex and potentially dangerous.
How the Technology Works
This experimental procedure involves extracting the nucleus from skin cells, which contains DNA. That nucleus is then inserted into a donated egg that has had its own nucleus removed. The next step triggers the egg to cast off half of its chromosomes, reducing the count from 46 to 23, making it compatible with sperm fertilization. Ideally, this process would yield a genetically normal embryo, which could then be transferred to a uterus to initiate a pregnancy.
This technique could also significantly aid women who have undergone cancer treatments and wish to conceive. According to Amato, it opens up possibilities for same-sex couples. “Typically, they have to rely on donor eggs. However, with this method, one partner’s skin cells can be used to create eggs fertilized by the other partner’s sperm, enabling them to have children that are genetically linked to both.”
Still, he reiterated the need for more understanding and refinement in the process. “Every embryo we created was genetically abnormal, either having too many or too few chromosomes. There’s much work ahead,” he concluded.
