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Le Goff A, Jeffries Hein R, Hart AN, Roberson I, Landecker HL. Anticipating in vitro gametogenesis: Hopes and concerns for IVG among diverse stakeholders. Stem Cell Reports 2024; 19:933-945. [PMID: 38848715 PMCID: PMC11252480 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2024.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
In vitro gametogenesis (IVG), the reconstitution of germ cell development in vitro, is an emerging stem cell-based technology with profound implications for reproductive science. Despite researchers' long-term goals for future clinical applications, little is currently known about the views of IVG held by the stakeholders potentially most affected by its introduction in humans. We conducted focus groups and interviews with 80 individuals with lived experience of infertility and/or LGBTQ+ family formation in the US, two intersecting groups of potential IVG users. Respondents expressed hope that IVG would lead to higher reproductive success than current assisted reproductive technology (ART), alleviate suffering associated with ART use, and promote greater social inclusion, while expressing concerns predominantly framed in terms of equity and safety. These findings underscore the importance of sustained engagement with stakeholders with relevant experience to anticipate the implications of IVG for research and clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Le Goff
- The Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Robbin Jeffries Hein
- The Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ariel N Hart
- Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Isaias Roberson
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Center for Reproductive Science, Health, and Education, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Hannah L Landecker
- The Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Sociology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Center for Reproductive Science, Health, and Education, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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2
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Pennings G. IVF embryos in the bin, embryo-like structures in the spotlight. Reprod Biomed Online 2024; 48:103886. [PMID: 38614064 DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2024.103886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Embryo-like structures (ELS) are intended for the study of embryonic development without the use of human supernumerary embryos. Scientists working in countries that do not allow research on embryos hope that these structures will replace natural embryos. The interest in ELS is largely based on two misconceptions: the belief that there is a shortage of research embryos and the belief that research on ELS will make research on natural embryos redundant. This paper argues that research efforts should be refocused on natural embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Pennings
- Bioethics Institute Ghent (BIG), Department of Philosophy and Moral Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium..
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3
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Rossant J. Why study human embryo development? Dev Biol 2024; 509:43-50. [PMID: 38325560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the processes and mechanisms underlying early human embryo development has become an increasingly active and important area of research. It has potential for insights into important clinical issues such as early pregnancy loss, origins of congenital anomalies and developmental origins of adult disease, as well as fundamental insights into human biology. Improved culture systems for preimplantation embryos, combined with the new tools of single cell genomics and live imaging, are providing new insights into the similarities and differences between human and mouse development. However, access to human embryo material is still restricted and extended culture of early embryos has regulatory and ethical concerns. Stem cell-derived models of different phases of human development can potentially overcome these limitations and provide a scalable source of material to explore the early postimplantation stages of human development. To date, such models are clearly incomplete replicas of normal development but future technological improvements can be envisaged. The ethical and regulatory environment for such studies remains to be fully resolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Rossant
- The Gairdner Foundation and the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, MaRS Centre, Heritage Building, 101 College Street, Suite 335, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L7, Canada.
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Wu Y, Wang C, Fan X, Ma Y, Liu Z, Ye X, Shen C, Wu C. The impact of induced pluripotent stem cells in animal conservation. Vet Res Commun 2024; 48:649-663. [PMID: 38228922 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10294-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
It is widely acknowledged that we are currently facing a critical tipping point with regards to global extinction, with human activities driving us perilously close to the brink of a devastating sixth mass extinction. As a promising option for safeguarding endangered species, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold great potential to aid in the preservation of threatened animal populations. For endangered species, such as the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni), supply of embryos is often limited. After the death of the last male in 2019, only two females remained in the world. IPSC technology offers novel approaches and techniques for obtaining pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) from rare and endangered animal species. Successful generation of iPSCs circumvents several bottlenecks that impede the development of PSCs, including the challenges associated with establishing embryonic stem cells, limited embryo sources and immune rejection following embryo transfer. To provide more opportunities and room for growth in our work on animal welfare, in this paper we will focus on the progress made with iPSC lines derived from endangered and extinct species, exploring their potential applications and limitations in animal welfare research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yurou Wu
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modem Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengwei Wang
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modem Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyun Fan
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modem Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuxiao Ma
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zibo Liu
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modem Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, People's Republic of China
| | - Xun Ye
- School of Pharmacy/School of Modem Chinese Medicine Industry, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, People's Republic of China
| | - Chongyang Shen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611137, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chunjie Wu
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy/Academy for Interdiscipline, Chengdu Univesity of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611137, People's Republic of China.
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Endangered Medicinal Animals, Chengdu, China.
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Denker HW. Embryoids, models, embryos? We need to take a new look at legal norms concerning the beginning of organismic development. Mol Hum Reprod 2023; 30:gaad047. [PMID: 38113415 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaad047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
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Rivron NC, Martinez-Arias A, Sermon K, Mummery C, Schöler HR, Wells J, Nichols J, Hadjantonakis AK, Lancaster MA, Moris N, Fu J, Sturmey RG, Niakan K, Rossant J, Kato K. Changing the public perception of human embryology. Nat Cell Biol 2023; 25:1717-1719. [PMID: 37985870 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-023-01289-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas C Rivron
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
| | - Alfonso Martinez-Arias
- Systems Bioengineering, MELIS, Universidad Pompeu Fabra and Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Karen Sermon
- Research Group Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), Strombeek-Bever, Belgium
| | | | - Hans R Schöler
- Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - James Wells
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jenny Nichols
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Jianping Fu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Roger G Sturmey
- Biomedical Institute for Multimorbidity, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Kathy Niakan
- Cambridge Reproduction, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- The Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Human Embryo and Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, Cambridge, UK
- Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Kazuto Kato
- Department of Biomedical Ethics and Public Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
- Ethics Committee, International Society for Stem Cell Research, Evanston, IL, USA
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8
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Haniffa M, Maartens A, Teichmann SA. How developmental cell atlases inform stem cell embryo models. Nat Methods 2023; 20:1849-1851. [PMID: 38057509 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-023-02072-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Muzlifah Haniffa
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
- Department of Dermatology and NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
| | | | - Sarah A Teichmann
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK.
- Theory of Condensed Matter Group, Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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