I'm curious what effect totally foreign mitochondrial DNA might have down the road on the person. I mean, in nature, the mitochondrial DNA has a connection to one of the people who provided chromosomes (the mother). Is it possible that this could create a problem they've not thought of?
Additionally, this is interesting since they have used mitochondrial DNA to track ancestry. This will surely put a kink in that down the road.
Anyway, I think it's unethical to create human embryos to study them and kill them. I used to think in vitro fertilization was fine since it's goal was to help nature along in producing a baby. However I'm more squeemish about it now because so many extras are produced that are killed or studied.
People would raise an outcry if I poduced puppies for sale and then just killed the ones I didn't sell once they were past the cute stage. And yes, for the record I have 2 family members who did in vitro.
susie
I definitely agree with you on the ethical issues. It is far from clear that this "hybrid" child would be free from serious, unintended consequences. Yes, the diseases caused by mitochondrial DNA defects can be severe but who knows how worse the cure will be. And in the meanwhile, embryos will be created and destroyed to find out.