The embryos have been created using DNA from a man and two women – Nuclear DNA from an embryo was and placed in to a donor egg from which the original nucleus was removed. The technique is intended to help women with diseases of the mitochondria. Faults in the mitochondrial DNA can cause around 50 known diseases, some of which lead to disability and death. About one person in every 6,500 people is affected by such conditions, which include fatal liver failure, stroke-like episodes, blindness, muscular dystrophy, diabetes and deafness. There is currently no treatment for mitochondrial diseases.
Any baby born through this method would have genetic elements from three people. However it is only nuclear DNA that influences appearance and other characteristics would not come from the woman providing the donor egg. The team currently only have permission to carry out lab experiments so it could not at present be offered as a treatment.
Professor Patrick Chinnery, a member of the Newcastle team, said: "We believe that from this work, and work we have done on other animals that in principle we could develop this technique and offer treatment in the foreseeable future that will give families some hope of avoiding passing these diseases to their children."
Dr Marita Pohlschmidt, of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, which has funded the Newcastle research, was confident it would lead to a badly needed breakthrough in treatment. "Mitochondrial myopathies are a group of complex and severe diseases," she said. "This can make it very difficult for clinicians to provide genetic counselling and give patients an accurate prognosis."
11 comments:
When one is stricken with a progressive disease like MS, is wanting to parent a priority?
Russian reaction - uzhas! Means 'horror'!
True, Ren but a lot of couples will still want children. This could ensure that mDNA disorders are not passed on.
It sounds ominous James, but it could be a genuine benefit.
Jams
You are far too kind to let the joke of "Progressive Disease" pass.
I hope this does not lead to Eugenics. Do we need designer babies or have progressives of another sort been down that road before.Genetic diversity is our best defense for long term survival.
I probably would not consider the kind of progressive you are thinking of as a disease!
There is always the concern that advances like this could be put to ill use. Sadly they probablty will be put to ill use by someone. On teh otehr hand if it genuinely can help those with mDNA conditions then itwill be a good thing.
Hybrid viogour means diversity and better overall health. That folows for every species. Eliminating some heritable diseases sjould help rhather than hinder.
I don't think you need to worry too much about "eugenics". As Jams noted in his post (well written Jams, except the first sentence seems to be missing a word or two) it's the nuclear DNA that dictates most characteristics that are inherited from our parents. Truth be told, it's a bit misleading to say that there are three parents - there are two parents and a mitochondria donor. That's the mainstream press twisting science around - something they are quite good at!
Oops, My proof reading is getting worse! I know the embryo really on has two parents but it amused me to talk about three - I was going to call the post "and mummy and daddy .....and mummy make baby"
It's a long time since my own Physiology and Biochemistry degree (1984) Mitochondrial DNA wasn't really mentioned. Then again I graduated before Alec Jeffreys made his great discovery, so in some respects I might as well be talking about phlogiston and the humours?
Hey jams, have you seen that movie with Uma Thurman called Gattaca? The real world is starting to become eerily similar to it.
Oh yes ewbl. I quite enjoyed it. I understand the trepidation at a lot of advances. THis one should be a benefit though.
Oh boy. The issue of splitting alimony will become insurmountable eventually.
Haha Snoopy!
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