Many researchers around the world are trying to make human eggs outside the body.
The main point of this lab effort to make human oocytes seems to be to assist with infertility.
However, the broader technology of in vitro gametogenesis or IVG (which in theory could make eggs or sperm) could also be used to make CRISPR gene-edited people.
How does this work? My impression is that most labs doing IVG research are using some kind of stem cell-related technology. For example, making eggs from iPS cells. However, a variety of approaches are being tested.
Let’s start there today. But first, it was so sad to hear of John Gurdon’s death this week. Gurdon was most well-known in general for cloning and winning the Nobel, but he did a vast amount of other important work. For example, besides stem cells, I also shared an interest with Gurdon in histone H3.3. He was also kind in our few interactions and took a bit of time to be supportive for me when he was clearly very busy.
Trying to make human eggs in the lab
Gurdon would have been interested in recent research trying to make human eggs.
Here’s the new piece on that front that caught my attention: Push to create functional human eggs in the lab stumbles, pioneering fertility researcher reports, STAT News. This is the same general sphere as the idea of stem cell IVF that I wrote about over at STAT recently that Japanese and American researchers are aiming for one day. Shoukhrat Mitalipov and Paula Amato and colleagues used cloning-type methods (SCNT) in the new paper that sparked the STAT piece.
Here’s the Nat. Comm paper: Induction of experimental cell division to generate cells with reduced chromosome ploidy. I also recently wrote briefly about George Church’s lab trying to use a different approach to make human eggs. No stem cells needed.
Why does it seem like almost no one is trying to make human sperm in the lab by IVG? For various technical reasons that seems to be a far more difficult task.
Gene therapy for Huntington’s disease looks promising
Experimental gene therapy for Huntington’s markedly slowed disease progression in key trial, STAT News. This is exciting news. Over the years I’ve connected with several Huntington’s disease patient advocates. I consider the wonderful Judy Roberson a friend. I also got to know the late Ted Harada. They both visited UC Davis Med School for a symposium I helped organize some years back. See the picture of us three above with me in the middle.
I’m curious to see data from this trial that seems to provide real hope via gene therapy.
CRISPR horses, modified cows, wild animals and more?
- First CRISPR horses spark controversy: what’s next for gene-edited animals? Nature. This made me think of the Los Angeles Project, started by Josie Zayner and Cathy Tie. Its goal is to make gene-edited animals, which I guess they would sell. Cathy Tie also launched the Manhattan Project to try to make gene-edited human babies to try to prevent genetic diseases. Risky stuff.
- Creating Modified Cows and Sheep from Haploid Stem Cells, Bioengineer.
- Would a ban on genetic engineering of wildlife hamper conservation? New Scientist. What do you think of the question in the headline of this article?
More recommended regenerative reads
- Dissecting the impact of transcription factor dose on cell reprogramming heterogeneity using scTF-seq, Nat Gen.
- Antagonistic stem cell fates under stress govern decisions between hair greying and melanoma, Nat Cell Bio.
- Peter Marks, FDA vaccine regulator ousted by RFK Jr., joins Eli Lilly Marks will lead molecule discovery and infectious diseases, STAT.
Stem cell treatment cost
If you’ve got a stem cell treatment please take our poll on how much it cost.