Scientists in the US have successfully created human eggs from skin cells, in an advance that could one day transform fertility treatment.
The early-stage work, led by Prof Shoukhrat Mitalipov at Oregon Health and Science University, could help women who are unable to produce viable eggs due to age, illness, or cancer treatment, as well as same-sex male couples who wish to have genetically related children.
The technique draws on methods first developed for cloning Dolly the sheep in the 1990s. Researchers transferred nuclei from skin cells into donated eggs stripped of their own DNA. To solve the problem of excess chromosomes, the fertilised eggs were treated with a compound called roscovitine, which triggered the removal of half of their genetic material.
So far, the process has proved inefficient: out of 82 eggs created, fewer than 10% reached an early embryonic stage, and none were cultured beyond six days. Errors in chromosome pairing remain a major hurdle.
“This is a proof of concept,” Mitalipov said, warning that perfecting the method and demonstrating its safety could take another decade. Still, experts hailed the progress. Prof Richard Anderson of the University of Edinburgh called it a “major advance” for women who have lost their eggs, while others stressed the need for careful oversight and public dialogue as the science develops.
If refined, the breakthrough could one day open new reproductive options for people who currently have none — but major scientific and ethical challenges remain.
