Treatments for human reproduction may see a major upgrade within the near future. Stanford University professor Dr. Renee Reijo-Pera and colleagues aim to speed up their plan to make human sperm within the next two years and eggs within five years that will be suitable for reproduction. Dr. Reijo-Pera’s team’s efforts were recently escalated after a hallmark Japanese study successfully created healthy baby mice by making eggs out of mice stem cells. The Kyoto University study is the first to have created a mammal from stem cells. Taking it further, Dr. Reijo-Pera plans to do this with humans. The eggs and sperm will be made using human embryonic stem cells taken from embryos left over from in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments. With this technology, infertile couples will be able to have biological children of their own. It would be especially helpful for women: there are many women who cannot get pregnant due to cancer treatments and women who want more control over their reproductive capabilities, hindered by the female biological clock. Additionally, creating eggs and sperm out of embryonic stem cells will teach researchers more about human reproduction and reproductive cell development. Despite the potential benefits, one ethical issue noted by Dr. Reijo-Pera is how the perceived limits of a woman’s reproductive age will be affected.
Sources: BBC, Guardian
