Promising new technique treats infertility by turning skin cells into egg

imeng.vip:03月-10日

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Researchers transformed skin cells into eggs that could be used to create healthy embryos.

The Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) researchers state that this approach holds the potential to treat infertility.

In a mouse model, researchers were able to establish in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) in mice models. 

One day, this technique might allow same-sex couples to bear children with biological links to both spouses.

IVG was accomplished by transplanting the nucleus of a skin cell into a donor egg that lacked its own nucleus. 

“The goal is to produce eggs for patients who don’t have their own eggs,” said Shoukhrat Mitalipov, senior author and director of the OHSU Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy in the press release. 

Producing the embryo
The researchers relied on somatic cell nuclear transfer. It is a procedure that includes inserting a skin cell nucleus into a donor egg that has been stripped of its own nucleus.

The researchers carried out this procedure on a mouse, which involved a series of complicated biological steps. As per the press release, this entire process resulted in “embryos with chromosomes contributed from both parents.”

This process starts when the skin cell nucleus experiences a significant decrease in chromosomes, triggered by cytoplasm inside the donor egg. Cytoplasm is the liquid that fills cells. 

As per the release, this process is analogous to natural meiosis, in which cells split to become mature sperm or egg cells. 

This produces a haploid egg with a single pair of chromosomes.

“Researchers then fertilize the new egg with sperm, a process called in vitro fertilization. This creates a diploid embryo with two sets of chromosomes — which would ultimately result in healthy offspring with equal genetic contributions from both parents,” the authors explained in the press release. 

Advantages of this method: Treats infertility
The team mentions that one significant advantage of this technology is its ability to avoid the lengthy culture period generally necessary for cell reprogramming.

Moreover, the study highlights the preliminary steps of this technique.

“This gives us a lot of insight. But there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to understand how these chromosomes pair and how they faithfully divide to actually reproduce what happens in nature,” said Paula Amato, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the OHSU School of Medicine in the press release. 

Moreover, the technology is currently being studied in human eggs and early embryos, but it will be several years before it is ready for clinical use. Though not as developed, this might become a possibility for humans in the future.

This advancement may assist women of advanced maternal age, individuals unable to generate viable eggs as a result of prior cancer treatment, and even same-sex couples desiring genetically related offspring in the near future. 

The findings have been published in the journal Science Advances.