Resulting in the birth of several mice that were produced without mothers:
Same-sex reproduction has historically required donor cells, as is the case with egg implantation and some instances of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Thanks to genetic engineering, however, this might not always be the case. Scientists in Japan have successfully created eggs using male cells, resulting in the birth of several mice that were produced without mothers.
Renowned Kyushu University stem cell researcher Katshuhiko Hayashi presented his team's achievement this week at the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing in London. Hayashi had led his colleagues through "reprogramming" a male mouse's skin cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, or former non-reproductive cells that can be engineered into various cell forms. Because male cells contain the XY chromosome combination, Hayashi had to remove the Y chromosome and replace it with an X chromosome from another cell. (Hayashi's team attempted to devise a way to duplicate the first cell's X chromosome but was unsuccessful, resulting in the need to pull from a donor.)
Hayashi implanted the makeshift eggs inside a mouse ovary organoid, a ball of tissues that function similarly to a natural ovary. After fertilizing the eggs with sperm, his team implanted the resulting 600 embryos into surrogate mice. Seven of these embryos became mouse pups, which grew into adults with normal lifespans and successful mating routines.
Should Hayashi and his colleagues successfully produce eggs in the lab, it could pave the way for novel infertility treatments and for same-sex procreation that incorporates both partners' genes.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 14, @07:50PM (2 children)
Is this how they are going to solve the population problem in Japan?
(Score: 2) by istartedi on Tuesday March 14, @08:18PM (1 child)
Not until they also have artificial wombs and some other things. I'm not sure how close we are to Brave New World.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday March 15, @12:05AM
Wrong novel: Tanks, where Duncan Idaho was cloned in. Spoi... oh, hell if you haven't read the books, why not? They hint at the true risk of AI. But the tanks were live women.
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday March 14, @08:10PM (7 children)
>it could pave the way for novel infertility treatments and for same-sex procreation that incorporates both partners' genes.
Why? I mean, sure, there's some population out there with an itch, but before we scratch that particular one, aren't there other things much more useful to be doing?
Україна досі не є частиною Росії Слава Україні🌻 https://news.stanford.edu/2023/02/17/will-russia-ukraine-war-end
(Score: 5, Touché) by maxwell demon on Tuesday March 14, @08:23PM (2 children)
Well, if you ask that question, you also have to ask the other one: Isn't there something more useful you could be doing instead of writing comments?
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
(Score: 4, Touché) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday March 14, @08:58PM
>Isn't there something more useful you could be doing instead of writing comments?
Well... perhaps, although you might call the opportunity cost negative since I'm not really able to do anything "productive" while I wait for a 18 minute compile cycle, and the resources used are so small they're difficult to measure - comment readers' time probably being the most valuable.
On the other hand, genetic research, developing tools, playing with stuff that might give us a Jurassic Park, all very cool - but undeniably many orders of magnitude more resource intensive. Now, directing that work into a field fraught with risk, ethical questions of: what rights does the created being have? When they're horribly deformed but viable? How far do you let experimental embryos develop before terminating them?
I mean, we can also debate how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but that's not a question with such massive real-world ramifications as the above.
IMO, developing the technology into less fraught fields, such as genetically engineered cattle? and having a demonstrable level of mastery of the related technology would seem to be sensible pre-requisites before launching into human same sex fertility facilitation.
Україна досі не є частиною Росії Слава Україні🌻 https://news.stanford.edu/2023/02/17/will-russia-ukraine-war-end
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Tuesday March 14, @09:08PM
Like learning all the lyrics to the incel community's new national anthem [youtu.be]!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 14, @09:10PM (3 children)
I get your point, but I've always been a fan of knowledge. Seemingly pointless experiments usually produce much useful knowledge, even if the hoped goal isn't achieved. Edison won because of the Edison approach- just keep trying things, observing, learning, and try some more.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday March 14, @09:26PM (2 children)
I generally agree, but... there are so very many related things to try and get good at first...
Like: nuclear powered steam-engines to launch ships to orbit... maybe develop the related technologies a bit first before "launching" into that one...
Україна досі не є частиною Росії Слава Україні🌻 https://news.stanford.edu/2023/02/17/will-russia-ukraine-war-end
(Score: 4, Funny) by deimtee on Tuesday March 14, @09:57PM (1 child)
While I am in favour of nuclear steam spaceships, I don't want mine to be developed and built by fertility specialising biologists. We, as a species, can do more than one thing at once. We can have these guys develop clone techniques, while engineers build my spaceship, at the same time as you sit and wait for 18 minute compile cycles.
No problem is insoluble, but at Ksp = 2.943×10−25 Mercury Sulphide comes close.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday March 14, @10:28PM
My point is: both the mixed genes of two father's human babies, and the nuclear powered stream propulsion space launch vehicles have a long long list of pre-requisites to demonstrate before launching into prototype testing.
I have 35 years professional experience with 20 minute compile cycles, it's a well developed technology.
Of course they are also selling cryogenic preservation... I guess I would just like to limit the amount of resources that get plowed into speculation...
Україна досі не є частиною Росії Слава Україні🌻 https://news.stanford.edu/2023/02/17/will-russia-ukraine-war-end
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 14, @09:06PM
... gay?
(Score: 2, Flamebait) by turgid on Tuesday March 14, @09:33PM (1 child)
Who'll do the washing-up?
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 15, @06:34PM
Ah come on now. If it was two women they'd be fighting over the kitchen sink and the washing machine. But wouldn't be able to put up any shelves or oil the hinges.