No moral reason not to create chimeras capable of making human eggs, ethicist argues – National Post
By raymumme
First came the prospect of pigs incubating human organs. Now a medical ethicist is raising new moral questions by suggesting scientists create human-animal chimeras to produce human eggs.
While the goal, for now, would be to create a ready supply of eggs purely for biomedical research purposes, should the hybrid human eggs turn out to be as good as ones produced by humans, I do not see any reason for not using them for treating human infertility, said Csar Palacios-Gonzlez, of the Centre of Medical Law and Ethics at Kings College London.
In a commentary in Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Palacios-Gonzlez tests arguments against creating chimeras for human gamete production, and finds all of them wanting.
Despite ongoing research and scientific and ethical discussions about the development of chimeras capable of producing solid organs such as kidneys and hearts for transplantation purposes, he writes, no wide discussion of the possibility of creating chimeras-IHGP (intended for human gamete production) has taken place. If anything, scientists have fallen over themselves to reassure the public steps will be taken to avoid creating such creatures.
A leading Canadian reproductive biologist called the paper deeply thought provoking and says the idea isnt outside the realm of possibility.
Humans are mammals and there is really nothing intrinsically different about the process of reproduction between humans and every other mammal, said Roger Pierson, a world expert on ovarian physiology at the University of Saskatchewan.
There is really nothing intrinsically different about the process of reproduction between humans and every other mammal
Were talking here not about what the combination of mammalian gametes might become, but were talking about the actual biological processes of passing our DNA from one generation to the next, he said.
The biology that comes out of this analysis is questioning some of the tenets of our assumptions about reproduction.
In theory, the process could involve interspecies blastocyst complementation the same technique researchers are exploring to create pigs capable of generating human organs for transplant.
A blastocyst an early embryo is taken from an animal and genes crucial for the development of a particular cell line or organ edited out. In this case you would aim at the reproductive system, Palacios-Gonzlez said in an interview.
Next, human pluripotent stem cells (cells that have the potential to develop into any type of tissue in the body) taken from a donors skin are injected into the blastocyst to compensate for the existing niche, he said. In this case human stem cells would complete the reproductive system, which would then create gametes.
What conceivably could result is the ovary of a sow (or cow or other animal) that produces human eggs.
In January, Salk Institute scientists reported in the journal Cell they had succeeded in creating the first human-pig chimera embryos. None were allowed to grow beyond four weeks and half were abnormally small. But in others, the human stem cells survived and turned into progenitors for different tissues and organs.
The achievement was hailed a scientific tour de force. It also rattled ethicists, who warned of the remote but not impossible risk human stem cells intended to morph into a new liver, pancreas or heart could wend their up to the animals brain, raising the prospect of a chimera with human consciousness.
Others worried about transplanted human stem cells generating reproductive tissues. Few people want to see what might result from the union between a pig with human sperm and a sow with human eggs, the New York Times warned.
Palacios-Gonzlez said that as far as he is aware, no one is actively pursuing creating chimeras capable of producing human sperm or eggs. But maybe I am wrong, the world is just too big. (The research that comes closest, he said, was published in 2014, when stem cells were taken from a skin sample from a man who produced no sperm and transplanted into the testicles of a mouse, where they became immature sperm.)
However, Palacios-Gonzlez argues that claims that the creation of chimeras violates human dignity are just false.
Most dont consider lab mice grafted with human cells such a violation, he writes in Reproductive BioMedicine.Neither do we consider that human dignity is violated when someone receives a pig heart valve, which effectivelyturnsthem into a chimera.
If human dignity is tied tothe possession of certain higher mental capacities, he added, gene-editing tools like CRISPR could be used to avoid generating brain tissue, thereby reducingthe possibility of accidentally creating a chimera with human brain cells.
Fears a human egg-producing chimera could become pregnant is a practical issue that could easily be avoided by, for example, creating only female chimeras, he writes.This would be the most sensible thing to do given that there is no shortage of human sperm for research purposes.
Even if it should one day become desirable to create chimeras capable of producing both eggs and sperm,we could just take the appropriate measures for (the chimeras) to be segregated by sex.
He also argues that whether generated by humans or chimeras human gametes do not possess intrinsic worth capable of being debased and that the eggs incubated by chimeras could go toward research capable of saving peoples lives.
Pierson said that, with focused work and funding, this kind of work could be done in probably a year or less. This is not far fetched.
This is not about having a male mouse thats ejaculating human sperm, coupled with a female mouse thats ovulating human eggs and creating a human embryo in the mouse, Pierson said.
Rather, among research questions, Its about understanding what our reproductive processes are and what they could become, he said. We need to lay down the ethical principles for exploring these new types of ideas.
Pierson said it could be the next step toward the completely lab-based generation of sperm and eggs. In vitro gametogenesis, or IVG, a technique still in its infancy, is aimed at creating functional sperm and eggs from induced stem cells. Last year, researchers in Japan reported in the journal Nature they had created mouse pups born from eggs created in a petri dish.
Pierson said any eggs generated from a nonperson chimera would likely come from a cow, and not a mouse, noting cows and humans share similar ovarian function.
NYU School of Medicine bioethicist Arthur Caplan said the technology is a decade or more away and would need safety testing in animals for another few years, if it even worked.
Safety issues are huge for chimeras, just huge, he added, including unknown mutations, subtle chemical differences in the derived eggs and the risk of communicating animal viruses.
Email: skirkey@nationalpost.com | Twitter:
Read more here:
No moral reason not to create chimeras capable of making human eggs, ethicist argues - National Post
- Colossal Creates Elephant Stem Cells for the First Time in Quest to Revive the Woolly Mammoth - Singularity Hub - March 18th, 2024
- Vitamin A could have a key role in both stem cell biology and wound healing: Study - Medical Dialogues - March 10th, 2024
- A dive into the genetic history of India, and the role of vitamin A in skin repair - Science - March 10th, 2024
- Herbosa: Clinic under probe after skin treatments linked to womans death - Philstar.com - January 22nd, 2024
- These Will Be the Biggest Skin-Care Trends of 2024 - Allure - December 28th, 2023
- Sorry, But These 10 Skincare Products Are A Scam - Refinery29 - December 12th, 2023
- Cyclerion Strengthens Board of Directors with Experienced Company Builder and Cutting-edge Innovator - December 4th, 2023
- Aptose Appoints Fletcher Payne Chief Business Officer, Expanding his Executive Role - December 4th, 2023
- Opthea to Present at the FLORetina 2023 Congress - December 4th, 2023
- HUTCHMED Highlights Clinical Data to be Presented at 2023 ESMO Asia and ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congresses - December 4th, 2023
- AC Immune Strengthens Management, Appoints Madiha Derouazi as CSO and Christopher Roberts as CFO - December 4th, 2023
- Publication of a transparency notification received from Tolefi SA (Article 14 §1 of the Law of 2 May 2007) - December 4th, 2023
- Annovis Bio Appoints Andrew Walsh as Vice President Finance - December 4th, 2023
- Foghorn Therapeutics Announces Clinical Data from Phase 1 Study of FHD-286, a Novel BRG1/BRM Inhibitor, in Patients with Advanced Hematologic... - December 4th, 2023
- Akari Therapeutics Appoints Experienced Life Sciences Entrepreneur Samir R. Patel, M.D. to Board of Directors - December 4th, 2023
- Ovid Therapeutics to Present Five Abstracts Supporting its Epilepsy Programs at the 77th American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting (2023) - December 4th, 2023
- Spectral Medical Announces CFO Departure - December 4th, 2023
- Are STEM CELL EXOSOMES the secret to a 'snatched' jawline? Discover the products that influencers are claiming - Daily Mail - November 18th, 2023
- Defence Mechanisms: Four ways your body is protecting you every time you fall sick - indulgexpress - May 16th, 2023
- Treat Yourself to a Spa Day With a $100 Deal on $600 Worth of Products From Elemis, 111SKIN, Nest & More - E! NEWS - May 16th, 2023
- INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL CORP MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (form 10-K) - Marketscreener.com - April 5th, 2023
- Skin Regeneration: The Science and How to Boost It - Healthline - March 9th, 2023
- Treat Yourself to a Spa Day With a $100 Deal on $600 Worth of Products From Elemis, U Beauty, Nest & More - E! NEWS - March 1st, 2023
- 7-year-old vows to find a cure for brother in need of bone marrow transplant - WJLA - February 21st, 2023
- World's most radioactive man 'cried blood' as his skin melted in 83-day nightmare - Times Now - February 4th, 2023
- How old are you, really? The answer is written on your face. - National Geographic UK - February 4th, 2023
- Skin: Layers, Structure and Function - Cleveland Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Human skin | Definition, Layers, Types, & Facts | Britannica - January 27th, 2023
- Skin Disorders: Pictures, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment - Healthline - January 27th, 2023
- Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Skin Care and Aging | National Institute on Aging - January 27th, 2023
- Wrinkles - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Dry skin - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Stem cells: a brief history and outlook - Science in the News - January 3rd, 2023
- Still Drinking Green Tea? Doctor Reveals A Healthier Drink With Proven Benefits For Diabetes, Aging, Oxidative Stress, And Cancer - Revyuh - January 3rd, 2023
- RUDN Physician And Russian Scientists Investigate Long-term Effects Of Treating Diabetic Ulcers With Stem Cells - India Education Diary - December 25th, 2022
- The Use of Stem Cells in Burn Wound Healing: A Review - Hindawi - December 1st, 2022
- FACTORFIVE Skincare The Power of Stem Cells for Skin - December 1st, 2022
- Embryonic Stem Cells - The Definitive Guide | Biology Dictionary - December 1st, 2022
- From pro soccer hopeful to hip hop artist with illness and addiction along the way, Tymaz Bagbani releases debut album - Toronto Star - December 1st, 2022
- Stem Cells | The ALS Association - November 22nd, 2022
- What is a stem cell? YourGenome - October 29th, 2022
- Skin Cell - The Definitive Guide | Biology Dictionary - October 29th, 2022
- Explora Journeys Plans Extensive Fitness And Well-Being Initiatives At Sea, Right On Trend - Forbes - October 29th, 2022
- Ahead of the holiday shopping season, Amazon kicks off second annual Holiday Beauty Haul on Oct. 24 - KXAN.com - October 21st, 2022
- Human skin color - Wikipedia - October 13th, 2022
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells | Properties, Process, Functions, & Therapies - October 13th, 2022
- Skin Grafting, Cryopreservation, and Diseases: A Review Article - Cureus - October 13th, 2022
- Anti-ageing cosmetics: Can they turn back the hands of the clock? - The Sunday Guardian Live - The Sunday Guardian - October 13th, 2022
- Brennand named Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry - Yale News - October 13th, 2022
- The Switch to Regenerative Medicine - Dermatology Times - October 13th, 2022
- Last Chance to Get The Collagen-Infused Massage Oil That Moisturizes Skin & Diminishes Cellulite For Less Than $20 - msnNOW - October 13th, 2022
- Addison's Disease Explained: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments - Health Digest - October 13th, 2022
- Stem Cells Therapy for Autism: Does it Work? - October 5th, 2022
- Stem-like CD8 T cells mediate response of adoptive cell ... - PubMed - October 5th, 2022
- 6 Under Eye Products You Need To Have STAT - Grazia India - October 5th, 2022
- CellResearch Corporation (CRC) to present promising new stem cell products for the treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers at the world's premier... - September 27th, 2022
- Reprogramming pig cells leads way for new regenerative therapies - National Hog Farmer - September 27th, 2022
- A glimpse into Indian consumers expectations for cosmetic treatments and consumption insights - The Financial Express - September 27th, 2022
- Tajmeel redefines beauty to give its patients the best results - Gulf News - September 27th, 2022
- Here Is Why You Heal Slower As You Age - Health Digest - September 27th, 2022
- Creating stem cells from minipigs offers promise for improved treatments - University of Wisconsin-Madison - September 19th, 2022
- Israeli Biotech Firm Plans to Create Human Embryos to Harvest Organs, Field Experts Say There are Ethical Concerns - CBN.com - September 19th, 2022
- CellResearch Corporation (CRC) announces positive results of Phase I study for CorLiCyte - PR Newswire - September 19th, 2022
- The best CBD and hemp products for pampering your skin this fall - Leafly - September 19th, 2022
- Benjamin Button For Real? Scientists Are Close To Cracking The Code To Reverse Aging - Worldcrunch - September 19th, 2022
- I took an international trip with my frozen eggs to learn about the fertility industry - MIT Technology Review - September 19th, 2022
- Propanc Biopharma Reports Significant Effects of PRP Against the Tumor Microenvironment - Business Wire - September 11th, 2022
- 6 Ingredients to Avoid Putting on Your Skin - Healthline - September 3rd, 2022
- Regenerative Properties of the Newborn Heart Offers Hope for Those With Congenital Heart Disease - The Epoch Times - September 3rd, 2022
- Meet White Orange: The Vitamin C Skin Care Brand For Sensitive Skin - Bustle - September 3rd, 2022
- Rejuvenation Roundup August 2022 - Lifespan.io News - September 3rd, 2022
- To better understand Parkinson's disease, this San Diego expert sent her own cells to space - The San Diego Union-Tribune - August 26th, 2022
- Inside the race to make human sex cells in the lab - MIT Technology Review - August 26th, 2022
- Global Biomaterials Market to Reach Value of $372.7 Billion by 2028 | Demand For Biomaterials in the Healthcare Industry will Grow by 53% Over the... - August 26th, 2022
- A Groovy Guide to Anti-Aging Products With CBD and Mushrooms - Out Magazine - August 26th, 2022
- New milestone organoid synthesis will boost disease and drug development research - RegMedNet - August 10th, 2022
- Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian are fans of Augustinus Baders skincare range - and you can get 20% off - The Mirror - August 10th, 2022
- Mutant T Cells That Drive Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Progression May React To a Brain Antigen - The Scientist - August 10th, 2022
- Why Glucose Restrictions Are Essential in Treating Cancer - The Epoch Times - August 10th, 2022