Undoubtedly, when reading a title like the one in this article, the image of the individual created by Dr. Frankestein comes to mind. The creation of an individual that does not exist in nature. Frequently in scientific research they report the results of experiments that have a great impact on society not only from a scientific point of view but also from an ethical one. In this case a recent study shows the production of monkey embryos containing human cells.
In the past, investigations in the field of cell biology have demonstrated the structure of DNA, the possibility of in vitro fertilization, cloning, production of stem cells in the laboratory, and gene correction. All these discoveries have generated strong and constant discussions in the bioethical field. However, these discoveries have had a great impact not only in the medical world (all have been recognized with the Nobel Prize in Medicine) but in the lives of many people.
The possibility of generating embryos containing cells of different species (chimera embryos) has been the subject of research for many years. In the most recent issue of the prestigious scientific journal ¨Cell¨, researchers from the United States show the production of monkey embryos containing human cells. To achieve these results, the researchers injected human stem cells (produced in the laboratory) into embryos of monkeys (cynomolgus macaque). The authors of this work show that * human cells not only survive for 19 days but can also form other human cells * and participate in the development of monkey embryos.
These results, which show the generation of mono-human chimera embryos, have generated great controversy due to the bioethical implications of this type of experiment. The authors of this work believe that these findings provide insight into the biology of embryo development and may have potential applications in regenerative medicine to produce human organs for use in transplantation.
We are sure that this type of study will continue to be carried out in some research laboratories. We consider that a broad discussion is necessary in this regard, which should involve bioethical and regulatory aspects and possible impacts on biomedical research.
https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0092-8674%2821%2900305-6
https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-56768039
–
