Synthetic human embryos: All about life

Source: The post is based on the article “Synthetic human embryos: All about life” published in Indian Express on 17th June 2023

Syllabus: GS3- Awareness in the field of Biotechnology.

Relevance: About Synthetic human embryos.

News: At the International Society of Stem Cell Research’s annual meeting in Boston, a woman scientist announced that her team has succeeded in creating synthetic human embryos using stem cells, sidestepping the need for egg and sperm.

About synthetic human embryos

Synthetic embryos are embryos, which are created without fertilization. These are also known as artificial embryos.

These embryos do not require an egg or sperm cell to facilitate their creation. Instead, these are the primitive embryos that include cells that go on to form the placenta, the yolk sac and the embryo itself.

These embryos rely on self-assembling stem cell structures to mimic the natural process of early human development.

Note: Last year, the same team demonstrated that the stem cells from mice could be programmed into developing a beating heart and primordial brain. 

What are the challenges associated with synthetic human embryos?

a) It’s not yet clear whether these embryos have the potential to progress beyond the early stage, b) There are ethical concerns related to synthetic embryos, c) Their improvement will also create regulatory challenges, and d) None of the animal embryos has gone on to produce living species in the past.

It is time for global nations to set boundaries, limit research to welfare and alleviate the trauma of patients.