Scientists in the US have successfully created human eggs from skin cells, marking a potential revolution in fertility treatment.
The early-stage research, led by Prof Shoukhrat Mitalipov at Oregon Health and Science University, could one day allow women who are infertile due to age, illness or medical treatment to have genetically related children. The same technique could also provide eggs for same-sex male couples.
The process draws on cloning methods first used to create Dolly the sheep in the 1990s. Researchers removed nuclei from female skin cells and placed them into donor eggs that had been stripped of their own genetic material. These reconstructed eggs were then fertilised with sperm and treated with a compound that encouraged the correct halving of chromosomes, mimicking natural fertilisation.
While the method showed promise, results were far from perfect. Out of 82 eggs created, fewer than 10% developed to the stage suitable for IVF, and none were cultured beyond six days. Many embryos showed abnormal chromosome pairings, making them unviable.
Mitalipov described the work as “proof of concept” and estimated it could take a decade to refine the technique. Scientists say the breakthrough could transform options for people who cannot use their own eggs, but they stress the importance of safety testing, public dialogue and strong governance before the method is ever used clinically.
Prof Richard Anderson of the University of Edinburgh called the work a “major advance,” while others noted the potential to reshape how infertility and miscarriage are understood in the future.
