The single cell formed immediately after fertilisation, once the genetic information of the egg and sperm have fused.
Species-specific differences in terms of developmental timing and molecular expression patterns have restricted our true understanding of early human development...
The short article by Robin Lovell-Badge entitled 'Editing human embryos' addressing the work of Junjiu Huang and colleagues in China on gene editing in human embryos - such as the use of the CRISPR/Cas9 system - raises a number of ethical questions....
Medical genetics has changed how we think about diagnosis and treatment in almost every field of medicine. At an evening event hosted by the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM), medical genetics teamed up with obstetrics and gynaecology to explore the impact of genetics on the diagnosis of ovarian and breast cancer....
The energy required for our cells to function properly is mainly produced by mitochondria. Mitochondria are tiny structures within our cells, which contain their own DNA. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encodes a small number of the many proteins required to produce energy efficiently. Mutations in mtDNA cause a broad spectrum of diseases and degenerative disorders, which can be fatal....
Scientists have increased the quality of embryos developed for IVF - by culturing them on a bed of pins. Currently, embryos are fertilised in a dish, and left there to culture for a few days before being implanted. However, Professor Gary Smith, a researcher on the project, says this doesn't mimic how embryos naturally gestate...
When asked why having twins isn't a good idea, I struggle. I start trotting out the party line, the obstetric risks and risks to the babies themselves, and then begin to shuffle my feet. It's complicated, I say, hoping they will move onto another topic...
The first formal clinical study of a test that screens an eggs for chromosomal abnormalities - the main cause of non-viable embryos during IVF - has been conducted. This may help pave the way for women with a history of IVF failure to achieve successful pregnancies...
The Ohio (US) State Senate has passed legislation banning the creation of any embryo that would contain both human and animal DNA or tissues. Bill 243 proposes to ban the creation of 'human-animal hybrids'...
Turner Syndrome, a condition in which women have only one X chromosome instead of two, may be caused by a missing Y chromosome instead of a missing X as previously thought. Research published in Cell at the start of this month suggests that disruption in the Y chromosome can cause a range of male sex disorders including, surprisingly, Turner Syndrome which has always previously been considered a female sex disorder....
Researchers from the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) have developed a new mathematical classification scheme that can be used to select embryos for use in assisted reproduction treatments. The Spanish scientists presented this 'intelligent system' of support for infertility treatments in the journal Computer Methods and...
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