Scientists in the US have successfully created human eggs from skin cells in a pioneering study that could one day transform fertility treatment.
The early-stage research, led by Prof Shoukhrat Mitalipov at Oregon Health and Science University, offers hope for women who have lost their fertility due to age, illness, or cancer treatment – and potentially for same-sex male couples who wish to have genetically related children.
The technique adapts somatic cell nuclear transfer, the method used to create Dolly the sheep in the 1990s. Researchers removed the nucleus from skin cells and inserted it into donor eggs stripped of their own DNA. After fertilisation, the eggs were chemically activated to shed half their chromosomes, leaving 23 to pair with 23 from sperm.
However, the process remains highly inefficient. Out of 82 eggs created, fewer than 10% developed to the early embryo stage, with many showing abnormal chromosome pairings. None were cultured beyond six days.
“This is a proof of concept,” said Mitalipov. “Perfecting the technique and proving safety could take a decade, but it’s not impossible.”
Experts hailed the study as a potential game-changer, though they stressed caution. Prof Richard Anderson of the University of Edinburgh called it “a major advance” for women who have lost their eggs, while Prof Roger Sturmey of the University of Hull emphasised the need for transparency and public trust as the science progresses.
If refined, the breakthrough could radically reshape IVF treatment and expand reproductive options for many who currently have none.
