Fertilized Human Egg A newly fertilized human ovum. Wellcome Images

The first human eggs grown from human stem cells could be fertilized with human sperm cells later this year, potentially revolutionizing fertility treatment for women. This could be one more step on the path toward reproduction sans human interaction — in this case, a potential parent wouldn’t even need to donate her eggs. But it could also turn stem cells into an infinite loop, of egg cells into embryos into stem cells, and on and on, in a fractal-like repetition of reproduction.

In February, we heard about a study involving Japanese women whose reproductive stem cells were donated because they were undergoing gender reassignment surgery. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital were able to coax these ovarian stem cells into becoming immature human egg cells, which were then incubated in mice so they’d have the proper ovarian structures. Now these same scientists, working with a team at Edinburgh University, want to fertilize them.

After sperm implantation, the scientists would watch the blastocysts develop into embryos for two weeks — the legal limit — and determine if they’re viable. Then these embryos would either be frozen or "allowed to perish," according to the Independent. The tests would validate the stem-cell-derived human eggs, more properly called oocytes, and serve as an early indicator of whether they could someday be used to eradicate infertility.

Stem-cell derived oocytes could replenish the stocks of women undergoing menopause, or they could be used to allow infertile women to reproduce. The Independent goes so far as to mention an “elixir of youth,” wherein women of any age are full of stem-cell derived oocytes, remaining fertile and youthfully healthy forever.

This potential stem cell-based embryo construction still faces some hurdles — reproductive biologists are applying for a license to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in the UK. But if it’s approved, the eggs could be fertilized this year, according to the Independent.

Stem cells hold such great promise because they can differentiate into any cell, potentially replacing neurons, islet cells, kidney cells and more. But this research conceivably turns stem cells into an infinite supply of cellular material. The stem cell eggs would obviously most likely be used to help women conceive a child, but it’s not a huge leap to much more frightening scenarios: Stem cells turned into human egg cells, which could be fertilized to grow embryos, which would contain more stem cells, which could in turn be harvested .... and so on, as self-contained stem cell factories. It will be interesting to see how the UK authority interprets the possibilities.

20 Comments

Interesting and great for science and people who can't have children on their own...but that's a terrible title. We already have an unlimited supply of humans. Its called humanity and its pretty much already too big for the planet that supports it and out of control.

Kayzel beat me to the punch-the last thing we need are more people.Why can't more people adopt orphans instead?

It is the Matrix that has the largest need of humans and once the humans are in their designated pods, a way of manufacturing the preferred future humans will be needed.

In order to become The Great Terran Empire composed of trillions of Humans, we need to have more children. We can't conquer the universe with 7 billion alone. Let's expand out into our solar system and develop some colonies. It'll be a first step to ruling the universe. (Aren't I so silly?)

Is there some reason to think the supply of humans will not be sufficient in the near future?
How will this supply of humans be stored? In cages? Or will they die so quickly there will be no need for storage?
Why don't they just engineer a docile humanoid "helper" to do all the unsavory jobs?
Then we "real people" can focus on our destiny of dominating the universe.
(Now this is silly)

mmmkay so we got the unlimited supply of humans covered, now we need a non biological to incubate and birth them. another machine to directly download info into their brains...load it up and ship it into space....

or use them the technology to rebuild the human race after the zombies take over

Organ farms for everyone!

You know.... places like China which the government only wants each family to have one child and their society leans 90% towards the male and kills, dumps, trashes, and sells the females, this kind of technology would just devalue human life further in a country over populated, further.

And as far as developing robots to do the bad jobs of life, the hazardous jobs of life, we will just manufacture and tweak the DNA to make easily programmable, disposable humans to do the dirty hazardous jobs.

Imagine automation, computers and robots could be made obsolete by manufactured humans, who knew?!?!

The government most likely will force the manufacturing company of programmable hazardous humans to be need a new color, so we can easily identify them in the crowd, say purple or blue or red. This will help, once they become self aware, wise they and decide to revolt against the birth humans.

Well what goes around comes around. The Annunaki made human, now it is humans turn to make others!

Before this actually begins, I like to clearly state, I am against the idea of manufactured humans. Hey, I am a robot; I need my job, lol.

.............................
Science sees no further than what it can sense, i.e. facts.
Religion sees beyond the senses, i.e. faith.
Open your mind and see!

Brave new World?

this is really stupid. like finding a new way to add fuel to an already out of control flame. if this happens for real, imagine the future when people run out of food and other things. human instinct is to survive at any cost. even if it means eating other humans. think it won't happen? i feel sorry for the children who have to grow up into that nightmare world.

Why not use this technique on endangered animals? Pandas would be a good example.

I believe we already have enough people on this planet but this is pretty great.
This can help thous who can't have kids and be a huge advantage if there was a huge population kill off (manly from diseases, natural disasters or massive starvation).

Dare we think that were gods?

We might be if we can resurrect the extinct T-rex or even Mammoths!

I'm personally not sure why a stem cell factory is a frightening idea. With stem cells created in a factory setting much greater research can be done with fewer variables involved, and there would never be any shortage in materials to use in research.

Having the stem cells created in such a process may even allow governing agencies to lessen the restrictions on this kind of research considering the lack of people involved in the creation of the embryos. (Granted this is entirely based on your definition of a person)

"....Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital were able to coax these ovarian stem cells into becoming immature human egg cells, which were then incubated in MICE so they’d have the proper ovarian structures. Now these same scientists, working with a team at Edinburgh University, want to fertilize them..."

So Johnny, stand up and tell me a little about you and your family to the class. What's that you say, you mother is a mouse. Now Johnny, please tell the truth and not this imaginary story. Johnny, stop repeating that story! Johnny Mousetan, go to the principal’s office right now for lying!!!

.............................
Science sees no further than what it can sense, i.e. facts.
Religion sees beyond the senses, i.e. faith.
Open your mind and see!

I once asked someone who was a twin, if they felt offended by the negative attitudes towards human cloning. He said yes. I never understood the negative attitude towards human cloning. Such a person should have the same rights as any other human. I never understood why the "replicants" in the movie Blade Runner could be treated as sub-human. I see no problem with this technology, assuming that the birthed from it is treated equal to any other human being.

It's always better to slap another patch on or create a workaround to get away from the consequences of our excesses, right? So I guess I can start drinking again after all those years of struggling, huh? Livers are gonna be cheap, right? Kidneys too, and heart as well, right? Soon, I'll even be able to replace a 'wet' brain too, right? Will I still be an American with a heart made in China, or a brain made in Mexico? Where would I place my right hand when pledging Allegiance to our flag? What if the hand is replaced after a drunken car wreck? Do the fake brains get to vote? The fake hearts? Does a fake brain vote issues pertaining to real brains? Does the fake human pay me in doing my work for me and paying my taxes for me, or do I pay it? Is it not slavery? If I decide issues for fake humans yet to exist, or parts thereof; am I not in fact a slaver today?

The last thing we need is more people. We are already over populated as is.

I will support funding infertility treatments when the last starving child is fed, the last lonely orphan is adopted, and
when the human population starts to show signs of dwindling drastically -- and infertility treatment is seen as a solution.

Jerry Steinberg
Founding Non-Father Emeritus of NO KIDDING!
The international social club for childless and childfree couples and
singles
www.nokidding.net; jerry@nokidding.net

“Human eggs grown in the lab from stem cells (whose?) could produce unlimited supply of humans.”
Sounds like Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times conveyor belt nightmare combined with the wet dreams about automated super soldiers and disposable slave work units by New World Order psychopaths Ray Kurzweil and Craig Venter.

In a world where the ‘authorities’ (Big Pharma) and celebrities (e.g. Bill Gates) are doing their damnest to maim, compromise and kill children (and adults) with vaccines and medications, I can see no hopeful or loving principle in this scientific ‘playing god’ scenario.



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