Researchers at the University of Newcastle, in the United Kingdom, have developed apioneering fertility techniquewhich enablesobtain embryos from the DNA of a man and two women. This advance could help mothers with certain genetic disorders to have healthy children.
TheMitochondria DNAit is independent of that found in the nucleus of the cell and contains fewer genes. Justis transmitted from mother to sons, so those women with a family history of mitochondrial DNA disorders are generally at risk of having an affected child or not having children, as there is currently no treatment.
However, the new technique allowstransfer of nuclear DNA inherited from the parents of a child to an egg donor with its “healthy” mitochondria. In this way, and as explained by Professor Doug Turnbull, co-author of the study, “a child born with this method would have mitochondria that function properly (from a donor), but in all other respects all his genetic information comes from his father and mother. “. In addition, all the characteristics that make an individual recognizable would not be altered, sincemitochondria contain around 13 genes, compared to an estimated 23,000 inherited from parents.
The UK Human Fertility and Embryology Act, as amended in 2009, currently precludes fertility treatment using these techniques. However, the norm includes a provision by the Secretary of State for measures to be adopted so that the technique can be used in the future.
