Scientists given go-ahead for 'dual mother' embryo

Australian Broadcasting Corporation ^ | 9 September 2005

[Aussie Dasher]

A team of scientists in Britain have been granted official approval to create a human embryo using genetic material from two women, raising the future prospect of babies with a pair of mothers.

The group from Newcastle University in Britain has been given the green light by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the Government-appointed genetics and reproductive technology watchdogs for Britain, where such science is tightly regulated.

The scientists will transfer the pro-nuclei - the components of a human embryo nucleus - made by one man and woman into an unfertilised egg from another woman.

This technique is intended to help prevent mothers from passing on so-called mitochondrial diseases on to their unborn babies, genetic conditions caused by DNA outside the nucleus of a cell, in the mitochondria.

Mitochondria have their own DNA, inherited from the mother only.

If this DNA is faulty, then children can develop diseases affecting cells in the brain, heart, liver, kidney or skeletal muscles, for which there is currently no known cure.

Previous studies in mice showed in was possible to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial disease by moving the nucleus from an egg containing bad mitochondrial DNA to an unaffected egg.

Controversial research

The human trial will not see any eggs allowed to develop into babies, but the research nonetheless remains controversial.

Professor John Burn from Newcastle University stressed that the new tests would not lead to "designer babies".

"From a philosophical or medical point of view there is no reason why we should not do this," he said.

"I would use the analogy of simply replacing the battery in a pocket radio to explain what we are doing. You are not altering the radio at all -- just giving it a new power source.

If a baby was born following such a technique, he noted, it would resemble its biological parents rather than the women into whose embryo the nucleus would be transplanted, as characteristics such as hair colour, height and personality come from nucleus DNA.

However, campaigners expressed concern at the project.

"This shows once again that the HFEA does not have any regard for public consultation and the views of the public," Josephine Quintavalle from the Comment on Reproductive Ethics group told the BBC.

[Aussie Dasher]

I thought we beat the Nazis...

[DoughtyOne]

Gag!

[conservativewasp]

Look who's God now.

[sgtbono2002]

Yes: If Dr.Mengele were alive today he would be touted as a genius.

[Conservative til I die]

We *are* the Nazis.

[Calpernia]

PING!!

[George W. Bush]

Looks like little Heather will have two mommies.

[mcg1969]

Don't misinterpret what this is, BTW. This embryo would haves a genetic mother and father in the traditional sense. What is going on is that the second mother is "donating" the ooplasm from an egg, replacing the mitochondial DNA. This DNA is always passed from mother to child---the father has no contribution---and in some cases, defects in that DNA can cause disease.

But it's not like this baby, assuming it is successfully born, will acquire any of the physical or mental characteristics of its "second" mother.

I'm not saying there are no ethical issues here, it's just important to get the story right. As far as I know it's a long way to actually creating an egg with two equal mothers and no father.

[stocksthatgoup]

No Men Need Apply.

[Clara Lou]

I'm not generally given to such pronunciations, but my opinion is that this is utterly diabolical.

[mlo]

I'm not generally given to such pronunciations, but my opinion is that this is utterly diabolical.

Why?

[SERKIT]

Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOUILD!

[conservative blonde]

I totally agree with your opinion.

[Ichneumon]

No Men Need Apply.

Actually read the article, then try again.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Something tells me that God will have the final say in this, not men:

Isaiah 44:24&25

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer,
who formed you from the womb:
"I am the LORD, who made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself,
who frustrates the signs of liars
and makes fools of diviners,
who turns wise men back
and makes their knowledge foolish,

[Ichneumon]

Something tells me that God will have the final say in this, not men:

Where in the Bible does it say that we shouldn't cure diseases?

[Clara Lou]

It's more unnatural than homosexuality. However, I don't think homosexuality is a choice [for most], but this is a choice. What's the purpose of it? To see if it can be done? It's not right.

[hispanichoosier]

Don't misinterpret what this is, BTW. This embryo would haves a genetic mother and father in the traditional sense. What is going on is that the second mother is "donating" the ooplasm from an egg, replacing the mitochondial DNA.

Good point. The child would still have 23 pairs of chromosomes from 1 father and 1 mother, the true parents. The donor of the ooplasm is no more a mother in the genetic sense than a surrogate mother would be.

Note that the researchers plan to kill the developing child before he or she reaches a stage that may appear "too human" to the general public.

[Petronski]

THEY are the Nazis.

[Aussie Dasher]

I'm sure there is something in the Bible about not killing...