First U.K. Children Are Born Using DNA from 3 'Parents'
The United Kingdom was the first country to regulate the reproductive technique called mitochondrial replacement. 8 years after this children have been born using the procedure. Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy involves moving genetic information from an egg with diseased mitochondria to a donor egg that had its genetic material removed. This procedure remains restricted in the United States. This is still an area of medicine that requires much more research and they have many questions they need to answer. Since these are the first kids born using the MRT method it's not yet been determined how effective the treatment is and if it really cures mitochondrial diseases.
This article wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be, the title kind of tricks you. Although technically there are 2 eggs being used the other egg's genetic material is removed so I don't really think it's like 3 parents had a baby. There still is DNA from all 3 parents however so it really is like 3 parents had a baby. I think this is really cool because if something is wrong with you a super close friend can help and really be their other mother. I do however think this is a very interesting discovery but it kind of scares me as it still isn't allowed in most countries. If these babies that were born are healthy and it seems the treatment worked I'm sure it'll be more widespread but I think most countries don't allow it since it's such a gray area.
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I agree that the title is a bit misleading, though not entirely untrue. Despite the effects of this kind of fertilization still being unknown, the process is still interesting. The idea that someone could remove a diseased portion of their gamete to create a healthy baby could have a revolutionary effect on fertilization in the future.
ReplyDeleteRemoving a 'diseased' portion of a gamete to have healthier children is such a cool concept, however ethics has debated this for a while. I think it is beneficial and considering an increase in Celiac Disease in the population, I would love for my children to not be gluten free and live a normal, inexpensive life. Some people would use this for negative purposes, though, which is where it becomes tricky. Mitochondrial replacement is a cool concept, and seeing as how the mitochondria possesses the mother's DNA and determines certain traits, mitochondrial diseases like lactic acidosis, could be eliminated and provide these children with a better quality of life.
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