Discover how in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) could redefine family building by creating viable sperm or eggs from skin cells. Explore this groundbreaking fertility advancement with IMA ART Fertility
Advancing fertility science holds extraordinary potential for families, and in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) is a pioneering breakthrough that could reshape reproductive medicine. As reported by Kristin Houser on Freethink.com, IVG enables the creation of viable sperm or eggs from a person's skin or blood cells, potentially offering couples a path to biological parenthood even when viable gametes are unavailable. At IMA ART Fertility, we are dedicated to exploring the latest fertility advancements, providing our private clients with exclusive insights into the future of family-building options, including innovations like IVG.
The idea: Some people can’t conceive due to lack of viable sperm or eggs. In vitro gametogenesis (IVG) reprograms a person’s blood or skin cells back into an embryonic-like state — these “induced pluripotent stem cells” (iPSCs) can then be coaxed into becoming sperm or eggs, which could then create embryos with IVF.
This could allow couples who do not have viable eggs and/or sperm to have a baby that is biologically related to them both — and with a couple additional steps, it could potentially even allow same-sex couples to have biological children together. If this approach ends up working reliably enough, it could one day be a less invasive alternative to traditional IVF, eliminating the need for hormone injections and surgery to collect eggs.
The story so far: IVG works in rodents — scientists have made both eggs and sperm from the skin cells of female and male mice, respectively, and then used them to produce offspring.
They have also created eggs from a male mouse’s skin cells and fertilized them using sperm from another male mouse. Those IVF embryos were then implanted in a surrogate who gave birth to seemingly healthy pups that were biologically the offspring of two male mice.
In May 2024, scientists at Kyoto University in Japan announced that they had created the precursors to human eggs and sperm from iPSCs, but experts predict it’ll be at least a decade before IVG could reach infertility clinics.
What they’re saying: “Although many challenges remain and the path will certainly be long, especially when considering the ethical, legal, and social implications associated with the clinical application of human IVG, nevertheless, we have now made one significant leap forward towards the potential translation of IVG into reproductive medicine.” – Mitinori Saitou, lead researcher of the Kyoto University study.
The original article may be viewed here www.freethink.com/health/infertility-treatments.
