Hum Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 In as little as 5 years, scientists may be able to grow eggs and sperm from ordinary body cells, an international consortium of scientists and ethicists announced in a consensus statement yesterday. The technological advance could be a boon for infertile couples as well as for research on reproduction, providing policymakers don't ban the tools, the group says. Last year scientists announced that they had learned to turn back the clock on body cells (ScienceNOW, 20 November 2007). By inserting a select group of genes, they were able to convert skin cells into pluripotent stem cells (PSC)--cells capable of developing into any type of body tissue. This capability has opened up a whole new world of research--and it's brought closer to reality the possibility of generating embryos from gametes (i.e., sperm and eggs) grown in the lab, bypassing the need to collect oocytes from women. The consortium, known as the Hinxton Group, warns that "oversight structures" need to be in place before anyone attempts to deploy such gametes in human reproduction. Such a development raises a host of concerns that include safety issues and the specter of the "ultimate incest"--the same person supplying both egg and sperm. At the same time, the group urges policymakers to be "flexible" in regulating the new technologies, not only because of the insights they can offer into human development but also because they could present new options for infertile couples whose eggs or sperm is defective. In legislation currently being considered in the United Kingdom, it would be illegal to use gametes created in the lab to treat infertility. Both supporters and critics of stem cell research are already talking about the possibility that gay and lesbian couples might be able to become biological parents with these techniques. The Hinxton Group, however, points out that at present scientists see no way to make eggs from male body cells or sperm from female body cells. The obstacles are particularly great in the latter case, because female cells carry no Y chromosome, which contains genes necessary for sperm production. Even if the work is only confined to research, it will be hard to avoid controversy, says Ruth Faden, a bioethecist at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, and a member of the Hinxton Group. That's because researchers will need to create an embryo to test the viability of these laboratory-created gametes--a procedure bound to cause more than a bit of a stir. source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mad_onion Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 cool, so this would remove the need for men entirely, you could just make the sperm from a woman right? let's hope they don't start a revolution and kill us all. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minimoose Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 cool, so this would remove the need for men entirely, you could just make the sperm from a woman right? let's hope they don't start a revolution and kill us all. :) +1 lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primexx Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 cool, so this would remove the need for men entirely, you could just make the sperm from a woman right? let's hope they don't start a revolution and kill us all. :) since the female genetic code doesn't have a Y chromosome, you still can't get rid of the males...yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lant Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Now if only they'd written this news two weeks ago when I had to write an essay on obtaining Stem Cells from skin cells. Anyway this is a very promising line of research but still has some of problems associated with Embryonic Stem Cells (such as the high chance of cancer). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azz0r_wugg Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Hmm does this mean that technically a gay couple could create sperm and an egg from there skin and get a lady to give birth to the creation? My sister said she'd have a baby for me with my gay partner, but it wouldnt technically be MY blood, it would by my sisters blood, whereas if she could just use an egg and sperm created via us that'd feel more like my child. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Decryptor Veteran Posted April 20, 2008 Veteran Share Posted April 20, 2008 since the female genetic code doesn't have a Y chromosome, you still can't get rid of the males...yet. Well taking out the Y chromosome would help in getting rid of the males. Edit: I should learn to read better, yeah, no Y screws any female world domination plans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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