Human skin DNA fertilised to make embryo for first time

The United States scientists first made embryos at an early stage of human embryos, manipulating DNA taken from people's skin cells, and then fertilizing it with sperm.

Technique can overcome infertility from old age or disease, using almost any cell in the body as a starting point for life.

This can even allow the same -sex couples to have a genetically related child.

The method requires significant clarification – which can take a decade – before the clinic of fertility can even consider the issue of use.

Experts said that this was an impressive breakthrough, but with the public there was an open discussion that science became possible.

Reproduction used to be a simple story about male sperm found with a woman's egg. They merge to make an embryo, and nine months later the child was born.

Now scientists are changing the rules. This last experiment begins with human skin.

The technique of the research group on the health and science of Oregon takes the nucleus, in which there is a copy of the entire genetic code necessary for creating the body – from the skin cell.

Then it is placed in a donor egg, which was devoid of its genetic instructions.

Until now, the technique is similar to what is used to create Dolly the Sheep – the world's first cloned mammal – born back in 1996.

Nevertheless, this egg is not ready for fertilization with sperm, since it already contains a complete set of chromosomes.

You inherit 23 of these DNA bundles from each of your parents to 46, which already has an egg.

Thus, the next stage is to convince the egg to drop half of their chromosomes in the process, which researchers call “mitomeosis” (the word is the merger of mitosis and meiosis, two methods were divided by cells).

Studying, Published in the journal Nature Communicationsshowed 82 functional eggs were made. They were fertilized by sperm, and some progressed in the early stages of the development of embryos. No one was developed outside the six -day stage.

“We have achieved something, which was considered impossible,” said Professor Schukrat Mitaripov, director of the Center for embryonic cells and gene therapy at the University of Health and Science.

The technique is far from polished, since the egg randomly chooses which chromosomes will be thrown away. There must ultimately be one of the 23 types to prevent the disease, but ends with two of some and with any of the others.

There is also a low level of success (about 9%), and chromosomes pass an important process in which they rebuild their DNA, called the intersection.

Professor Mitaripov, a world -famous pioneer in this area, told me: “We must improve him.

“In the end, I think that the future will take place here, because there are more and more patients who cannot have children.”

This technology is a part of the growing area aimed at making sperm and eggs outside the body known as Hametogenesis in vitro.

The approach is still at the level of scientific discovery rather than clinical use, but the vision is to help pairs that cannot benefit from IVF (fertilization in vitro), because they do not have spermatozoa or eggs for use.

This can help older women who no longer have viable eggs, men who do not produce enough sperm or people whose treatment of cancer has left them fruitless.

The field also rewrites the rules of parenthood. The technique described today should not use the skin cells of a woman – she can also use a man.

This opens the door for same -sex couples with children who are genetically connected with both partners. For example, in a male same-sex pair, you can use the skin of one person to make an egg and partner sperm used for its fertilization.

“In addition to the fact that he offers the hope of millions of people with infertility due to the lack of eggs or spermatozoa, this method will allow the possibility of same-sex couples genetically related to both partners,” said Professor Paula Amato from the University of Health and Science.

Roger Sturmay, a professor of reproductive medicine at Hall University, said that science was “important” and “impressive”.

He added: “At the same time, such a study enhances the importance of a constant open public dialogue regarding new achievements in the field of reproductive research.

“Breakthroughs like this are impressive on us the need for reliable management, to provide responsibility and strengthen public trust.”

Professor Richard Anderson, Deputy Director of MRC Center for Reproductive Health at Edinburgh University, said that the ability to generate new eggs will “be serious progress”.

He said: “There will be very important safety problems, but this study is a step towards helping many women have their own genetic children.”