For decades, scientists have been trying to create functioning human gametes (eggs and sperm) from stem cells, according to Vittorio Sebastiano. In doing so, they would be able to discover the secrets of human development, and be able to help infertile people to have children. Over the years, scientists were able to achieve some progress such as being able to create mouse pups from stem cell-generated gametes. They were also able to create immature human egg cells. But when it comes to creating babies from bone marrows, there is still a long road that awaits our scientists.
When the first baby conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF) was born in 1978, it was a major step forward for reproductive science and a precursor to the stem cell research conducted by Sebastiano and others today, he says. But IVF is not an option for every individual or couple trying to have a biological child, including those who are born without gametes or who receive aggressive cancer treatments at a young age. This scientific technique would offer these individuals a new shot at reproduction.
The next major step came in the 2000s, with the creation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These cells are taken from blood or skin cells and reprogrammed to behave like embryonic cells, which have the ability to develop into any type of cell in the body. Since then, researchers have been trying to figure out how to turn these embryonic-like cells into functional sperm and eggs.
More details about this topic over at Discover Magazine.
(Image Credit: esudroff/ Pixabay)
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Go ahead... call me old-fashioned; I don't care.I still prefer the traditional method.
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