“3-Parent Baby” Procedure Faces New Hurdle
Josh Duvall
BIOL1610-006 10AM
Article Link:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ldquo-three-parent-baby-rdquo-procedure-faces-new-hurdle/
This evocatively-titled article appears in the Scientific American, and was written by Karen Weintraub. While the imagery of the title might conjure hollywoodesque pictures of mad scientists in their laboratory, I am pleased to report the substance of the article was nearly as interesting--albeit in a more scientific sense.
A paper published in Nature a couple weeks ago reported on a drawback that is being observed with a scientific technique being used to stop certain diseases involving the mitochondria, such as Leigh syndrome. It involves taking mitochondria from a donor, dubbed the "3rd Parent", and incorporate that into new offspring in an effort to replace the mother's faulty mitochondria in the offspring which can lead to certain debilitating diseases. This paper found that even after 99 percent of the mother's mitochondria are eliminated, they can come back to dominate over the donor's mitochondria and sicken the child with the diseases from the faulty mitochondria from the mother.
In an effort to resolve this problem of mother mitochondria resurgence, a doctor is mentioned in the article describing a technique as "taking the 'yellow part' of a mother’s egg and inserting it into the 'white' of a donor’s egg." Reportedly, an "apparently healthy" boy was born in Mexico back in April using this technique. His parents had two children previously who died of Leigh syndrome.
The article also discusses in some length other considerations about this mitochondrial replacement therapy, as it is called. There may be complications with the technique because of potential incompatibilities that may arise between mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, such as donors being from different ethnic backgrounds for example.
I just find the whole concept of being able to go in and replace defective mitochondria with better donor mitochondria in a new offspring to be totally fascinating. There's always ethical considerations to be had, too, with the topic as a whole. As research continues in this field of biology and genetic engineering, I think the technology will be advancing at least as fast as the philosophy we have to deal with these new advancements, if not faster. The potential benefits of research in this field are highlighted in this article, and I think this kind of therapy is only the beginning of a brighter future.
I agree. This is quite fascinating. Since Doctors are able to replace defective Mitochondria with a healthy one from a donor, is the replacement of other parts of the cell possible as well? Since the healthy boy in mexico, how much success has this treatment harvested?
ReplyDeleteTL
Since this is such a new technique it will be interesting to see the long term affects of the mitochondrial replacement. The healthy boy from mexico may experience some difficulties due to this foreign insertion. But if it all goes as is hoped, and the boy remains healthy, then we can expect to see this operation being used much more often to aid in the health of otherwise disease prone children.
ReplyDelete-SLH
This was a very intriguing article. However, I was wondering as to how they would eliminate the 99% of DNA that derives from the mother and how they prevent any damage to the fetus during this removal process? Additionally, what other diseases are associated with malfunctioning mitochondria and how common are they in the world, considering they would be particularly fatal?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the research I have done, the most common mitochondrial diseases include: Mitochondrial myopathy, Diabetes mellitus and deafness, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, Neuropathy, ataxia, retinitis pigmentosa, and ptosis, Myoneurogenic gastrointestinal encephalopathy, Myoclonic Epilepsy with Ragged Red Fibers, Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, stroke-like symptoms, and mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy. And mitochondrial diseases are pretty common in the world, and diseases that include damage to the mitochondria range from Parkinson's to type 2 diabetes.
DeleteMC
This was a very intriguing article. However, I was wondering as to how they would eliminate the 99% of DNA that derives from the mother and how they prevent any damage to the fetus during this removal process? Additionally, what other diseases are associated with malfunctioning mitochondria and how common are they in the world, considering they would be particularly fatal?
ReplyDeleteElise Smith
It will be very interesting to see how the boy does in the future. It's hard to say how his body and cells will continue to react but I believe that if he continues to do well and stay healthy, I believe this will be practiced all over the world. Then you start to wonder if other organelles in the cell could be transplanted like that.
ReplyDeleteJ. RYAN
I know most of our DNA is packaged in the chromosomes but there is a small amount of DNA in the mitochondria known as mitochondrial DNA, do you think that it might affect the child?
ReplyDeleteRuth Guerra
Yes that's why it is called a three parent baby because the baby will inherit some DNA from the mitochondria donator. It makes these babies genetically related to three people but has no negative affect.
DeleteKI
This is a very interesting concept to comprehend. I think it is so impressive how far technology and science have gone to save human lives. When the mitochondria is inserted, how does the cell know that it is an ok source and not attack it? Also, what are some of the ethical issues that come along with this?
ReplyDeleteM.E.
some of the ethical issues that this leads to, is indirectly making "designer babies". people worry we will start using this technology not to just fight diseases but control the all active genetics and making a baby look certain way or similar things.
ReplyDeleteK.F
DeleteI read somewhere that three parent babies are more likely to have cancer and more likely to age prematurely. What part of the process causes this?
ReplyDeleteKI
I think this is awesome. I think this is something really helpful for people trying to have healthy kids but have or carry a disease. I know many people that struggle to have kids, and they themselves have done many things that had to start from research and many trails. I think these researchers that find ways to help people are brilliant and I'm all for their study. I do think it is scary when it is just a new study, a lot of the times this can get parent's hopes up and it is sad when theses things don't work for them but i still think they should keep studying this so later in the future it can be used more. AV
ReplyDeleteThis post is pretty fascinating. My biggest question is how do they separate the yellow part from the white part of an egg? And how do the combine the two parts of each egg to make one egg? Does this procedure only help mitochondria or can it be used for other issues too?
ReplyDeleteKP
i find this very interesting for science since we are now combining the DNA of three different people. i can see how this might be controvercial to some people but i feel it is still one necessary step to becoming more efficient at fixing human genetic problems.
ReplyDeleteMC
This article seems to confirm the trend for future in medicine. Nuclear alterations that correct defects inherited from the parents. I hope the boy in Mexico stays healthy and this technique can be used for different types of inheritable diseases. SRH
ReplyDeleteThis article seems to be showing the direction the medical field is heading in the future. There will eventually always be a way for parents to have a healthy, disease-free child. the question that comes to my mind is if there are any side effects to the mother, the unborn child, or the donor. if the mitochondria from the donor is taken does is cause damage to the donors health? is there a possibility that the mother and the unborn child are not compatible with the mitochondria that is put into their system ? does this cause any type of altering in the DNA since this is a substance from a third party ? could this procedure cause any more medical complications for the mother and child that if they were to have the child without the procedure ?
ReplyDelete-MM
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting article. I haven't heard of this technique so I went in search of more information. I found a very short YouTube video that talks about taking DNA from a female donor is mixed with the DNA of the mother and father to help prevent the mitochondria disease. The video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmZSwTD2oGY
The article you reviewed discussed replacing defective mitochondria with better donor mitochondria. Sounds like there are a few innovations and controversial procedures to battle diseases like Leigh Syndrome.
It would seem to me that even if these procedures work that they will stir up some ethical and moral debates.
Interesting read.
Thanks,
Rhonda
This article is very interesting but like everyone else I question the ethics behind it. Where is the line drawn with procedures like this. By going forward with research and procedures of genetically modifying genes will it open up a pandoras box which can turn into something more sinister.
ReplyDeleteJH
Do you think this form of having children is ethical? Or should I have said created, it seems to me to be more of an experiment than that of having children. Are there drawbacks to this method or was that mentioned? –JA
ReplyDelete