Scientists create human eggs from skin cells—big news for future fertility
Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have demonstrated a proof of concept for turning human skin cells into eggs that can develop into early embryos.
This could be a game-changer for people struggling with infertility, since it means making eggs from a person's own cells might become possible in the future.
How they did it—and what's next
The team used a new method called "mitomeiosis," blending two types of cell division.
They put DNA from skin cells into donor eggs, and some of these lab-made eggs developed to the blastocyst stage, an early stage of embryo development.
While this could one day help older women or cancer survivors have genetically related kids, there are still hurdles before it's ready for real-world use—clinical trials might be about 10 years away.
Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov, the lead researcher, says he's hopeful this will open up new options in fertility treatment down the line.