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First successful three-parent baby born

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dpareja:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/3-parent-baby-birth-1.3781026


--- Quote ---A baby boy has been born using a "three parent" technique that combines DNA from three individuals, researchers report.

The now-five-month-old was born to Jordanian parents, carried by a 36-year-old mother who had four pregnancy losses and two deceased children who had Leigh syndrome.

Leigh syndrome is a fatal disorder that breaks down the central nervous system, resulting in loss of motor skills and mental ability.

The gene for the disease is found in DNA in the mitochondria, the powerhouse of a cell that provides energy. Mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother.
--- End quote ---

So what they did was to take the nucleus from an egg from the woman whose mitochondria carried the gene for Leigh syndrome, the mitochondria from a woman who didn't have the gene, and a sperm from the first woman's husband.

Cue the medical ethicists on whether this is a good idea.

RavynousHunter:
Tis a great advancement, but...honestly, I wonder if the money would've been better spent on research in birth control instead of ensuring more children are born.  We have enough people, already.

rookie:

--- Quote from: RavynousHunter on September 27, 2016, 10:17:26 pm --- We have enough people, already.

--- End quote ---

Interesting thought. I suppose it has been a couple generations since a big war or epidemic worked is way around to help out with that.

Eiki-mun:

--- Quote from: rookie on September 27, 2016, 11:41:45 pm ---
--- Quote from: RavynousHunter on September 27, 2016, 10:17:26 pm --- We have enough people, already.

--- End quote ---

Interesting thought. I suppose it has been a couple generations since a big war or epidemic worked is way around to help out with that.

--- End quote ---

In a way, you can probably thank nuclear weapons (and medical technology) for that. That said, I imagine it's only so long before something truly catastrophic happens. The conditions are right.

rookie:
Spanish flu and 2 world wars did a pretty good job for those intuitive low tech.

All that aside, I think this is pretty remarkable. The ethics I can see being a problem down the line, but still.

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