Researchers created cloned embryo with three parents

A father, two mothers - U.S. researchers created a genetic patchwork family for an embryo. It carries the genetic material of two women and a man should protect the hereditary diseases, critics fear a development towards “designer babies ".

Reproductive scientists at the "Oregon Health & Science University" (OHSU) took the nucleus from a female egg and implanted it into the enucleated egg cell from a shell of another woman. Then the egg was fertilized with sperm from a donor.

This process was carried out with 65 eggs from donors. This resulted in more embryos that developed five days. Was never intended, however, it to create babies, the researchers point out.

Why this gene test is good?

Background: Mutations in the mitochondria of a cell - they are regarded as "power plants" of the cell and are located outside the nucleus - cause serious hereditary diseases.

"If it's in the DNA of the mitochondria leads to certain mutations, the child is born with serious diseases, such as diabetes, deafness, visual impairment, gastrointestinal diseases, heart disease, dementia and many other neurological disorders," said lead investigator Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov .

"The goal of our research is to develop a therapy that prevents the transmission of this disease-causing mutations," said Dr. Mitalipov.

This means that one day might actually babies caused by this method. They then carry the genetic information of three people in it.

Just ran from the process:

First The nucleus, the 99 percent of the genetic information bears is removed from the egg of the "mother". It has mutations in the DNA of the mitochondria.

Second From a second egg another woman with healthy mitochondria also the nucleus is removed.

Third The nucleus of the "mother" is inserted into the enucleated egg of another woman. Is now an egg with healthy mitochondria and healthy nucleus emerged.

4th The resulting egg is healthy with sperm artificially inseminated.

Soon babies are conceived with three parents?

British researchers had made a similar attempt in 2008, as the researchers from Oregon.

There ensued a heated public debate, whether this advance the path to the "designer baby" paving. Opponents believe that parents through artificial insemination eventually can create a "perfect" child.

What risks does the method work?

It is not yet clear whether the method is risky for a man who has emerged from an embryo with three parents.

Earlier this year, researchers succeeded, also under the direction of Dr. Mitalipov to produce monkey babies from the genomes of six (!) Different parents. All three rhesus monkeys were born healthy, but even though they were all biologically male, had a monkey male and female cells.

In Germany, this research is not legally possible. After the Embryo Protection Act  , it is illegal to produce human embryos for research purposes.