Breakthrough Procedure Could Revolutionize IVF: Scientists Closer to Creating Eggs from Skin Cells.
Scientists have made significant strides in the development of a groundbreaking procedure that could potentially revolutionize in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. By adapting the technique used to create Dolly the sheep, the first cloned mammal, researchers have moved a step closer to generating IVF eggs from patients’ skin cells.
This advancement holds promise for addressing common forms of infertility caused by egg damage from diseases or cancer treatments, offering hope to older women desiring children who share their DNA. Additionally, the procedure could enable male couples to have genetically related children, a previously unavailable option with traditional IVF methods. (The fertilized egg could contain a combination of the men’s DNA and be carried to term by a surrogate mother.)
Aleksei Mikhalchenko, the lead author of the study, expressed optimism about the technology’s potential to transform IVF:
“Should this technology become clinically viable in the future, it holds the potential to revolutionise IVF and offer hope to many infertile patients who have lost gametes due to disease, ageing or cancer treatments,”
Shoukhrat Mitalipov, a senior author on the study, emphasized the importance of offering a path to parenthood for individuals currently limited to using donated sperm or eggs.
The recent experiments, documented in Science Advances, employed a novel and efficient method to generate IVF eggs, albeit conducted in mice. Researchers initiated the process by utilizing a donor egg, from which they extracted the nucleus. Subsequently, they introduced the nucleus from a mouse skin cell into the donor egg. Through a carefully managed culture process, the egg naturally expels half of its chromosomes. This pivotal stage ensures the resulting egg possesses the appropriate chromosome count – half from each parent – upon fertilization by a sperm.
Mikhalchenko noted, “Eggs can be produced using our method within a remarkably short timeframe of two to three hours.”
While the clinical application of this technology may be years away and will require rigorous evaluation of safety and efficacy, researchers remain optimistic about its potential to address fertility-related challenges in the future of reproductive medicine.
Reproductive therapies challenging the decline in egg quality and quantity
