How did scientists create mice with two biological fathers?
Context- Japanese scientists have created mice with two biological fathers after they generated eggs from male cells for the first time — an advancement which has the potential to radically alter the course of reproductive biology.
The details of the study, ‘Generation of functional oocytes from male mice in vitro’, were published earlier this month in the journal Nature. The research was led by Katsuhiko Hayashi of Kyushu University (Japan) and his team of 15 other scientists.
(Credits- Indian Express)
Notably, the breakthrough has opened new possibilities for gay-male couples — or even single men — to have their biological child without needing a female egg. However, scientists involved in the study pointed out that the research is in a very early stage.
What are the details of the study?
- For the experiment, the scientists first took skin cells from the tail of a male mouse, which, just like male humans, contained both an X and Y chromosome, and then converted them into induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs — they can be transformed into any kind of cell.
- During this process, a slight percentage of the cells lost their Y chromosome, generating “XO” cells. The scientists then cultured the XO cells in the lab and treated them with a drug called reversine. This helped them duplicate the existing X chromosome in these cells, creating an XX set.
- While presenting the details of the research at the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing at the Francis Crick Institute in London earlier in March, Hayashi said, “The trick of this, the biggest trick, is the duplication of the X chromosome”. He added, “We really tried to establish a system to duplicate the X chromosome.”
- Hayashi and his team then embedded the XX cells in an artificial ovary — also created by the use of stem cells — to generate eggs, which were fertilised with the sperm of another male mouse to obtain hundreds of embryos that were implanted into the uterus of surrogate female mice.
- Only seven out of 630 implanted embryos produced living pups. According to the scientists, the baby mice had a normal lifespan and they went on to have their own babies as adults.
Can the technique be used in humans?
- Given the one per cent success rate of the method used by the scientists to create mice with two biological fathers, Hayashi said although it is theoretically possible to produce babies from male human couples, it would take around a decade to do so.
- Besides the technical aspect, the technique being used in the case of humans also poses a wide range of ethical questions.
- Talking to CNN, Glenn Cohen, the faculty director of Harvard Law’s Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology & Bioethics, said, “What happens to all the embryos created but not used? Does it violate ethical norms of respect to create so many potential human lives knowing that the vast majority will be destroyed or indefinitely stored?”
Conclusion- Advancement in Biotechnology allows us to solve many of the legacy problems. However, moral, ethical and legal concerns should be kept at the forefront for any tech development.
Syllabus- GS-3; Science and Tech
Source- Indian Express
