Login / Signup

Synthetic embryos: a new venue in ethical research.

Adrian VillalbaJon RuedaÍñigo de Miguel Beriain
Published in: Reproduction (Cambridge, England) (2023)
The recent publications reported in 2022 reveal the possibility of obtaining mouse embryos without the need for egg or sperm. These 'artificial embryos' can recapitulate some stages of development ex utero - from neurulation to organogenesis - without implantation. Synthetic mouse embryos might serve as a valuable model to gain further insights into early developmental stages. Indeed, it is expected for these models to be replicated by employing human cells. This promising research raises ethical issues and expands the horizon of ethics in regard to the development of the human embryo. From this point of view, we state some of the new open venues for bioethical research.
Keyphrases
  • endothelial cells
  • public health
  • minimally invasive
  • decision making
  • single cell
  • genome wide
  • machine learning
  • dna methylation
  • pluripotent stem cells