New Delhi: Conception, a California-based biotechnology start-up claims that it has found a way to turn stem cells into human egg cells. It shared its update on X on Wednesday calling the breakthrough a “big deal” which had the potential to redefine fertility.
“After performing a simple blood draw, we converted blood cells into stem cells, and then coaxed those stem cells into becoming miniature human ovaries that contain the early eggs,” reads a blog post announcing the breakthrough on their website.
While the company calls its achievement a “major scientific advance” it also admits that there is a lot more work and research needed for these cells to be grown to full maturity.
“There’s definitely more work to do, especially to evaluate if this technology is safe, but progress has been staggering,” the company’s CEO Matt Krisiloff wrote on X.
However, the team has been successful in mice trials. In 2016, the team’s collaborator Katuhiko Hayashi proved that mouse skin cells could be turned into ‘induced pluripotent stem cells’ (iPSCs, which are engineered cells capable of becoming any kind of cell in the body). At the time these cells were turned into usable eggs which produced healthy pups that went on to have normal lifespans and even reproduced naturally. However, this process, “in vitro gametogenesis” (IVG) has been much easier to achieve in mice than larger animals.
Although, in Hayashi’s lab, they were even able to create mice with two biological fathers, giving this science a theoretical possibility of being someday extended to same-sex couples.
“This tech could create freedom from biological limits and genetic disease. It could allow women to have children at a much older age. It would eliminate injections and surgeries for IVF. And it could be a platform to delay (or prevent) menopause and better understand aging,” Krisiloff added.
While Krisiloff’s X post received several congratulatory messages, some users were also sceptical.
“This can’t just be unilaterally praised. It has the possibility to get dystopian real real fast. It needs heavy, careful ethical consideration. Just because we can , doesn’t mean we should,” said a user on X.
“People starving on earth meanwhile these weirdos playing Frankenstein,” wrote another user.