Genetically Engineered Babies Have Three Parents

Researchers at Newcastle University in England successfully genetically engineered an embryo from three parents- two mothers and one father – to be free from incurable diseases such as muscle, brain, heart and digestive diseases, some of which kill within hours of being born.

This new pioneer fertilizing technique could help thousands of parents who are constantly getting babies with these incurable diseases. The idea of the research is not to cure the disease, but to prevent it in the first place.

The mitochondria is the power house of the body, it convert food into energy as ATP to supply our muscles, brain, and the rest of the body. But serious defect in the mitochondria may result in babies with serious diseases and might die right after they are born. Each mitochondrion has its own DNA and is passed down from mother to child.

Here is a simplified explanation of the fertilization:

1. Mother’s egg with faulty mitochondrial DNA fertilised with father’s sperm in laboratory
2. Parent’s genes transplanted into donor egg with healthy mitochondrial DNA. The gene from the donor extracted.
3. The reconstructed embryo then implanted back into mother. Resulting baby has three genetic parents.

Professor Doug Turnbull, the lead researchers in the project said ” This is a very exciting development with immense potential to help families at risk from mitochondrial diseases”

Three years from now, the scienitist are excpecting the first baby to be born free from mitochnodrial deadly diseases.

Via – DailyMail