In an effort to prevent the passing of certain genetic diseases — in this case Mitochondrial diseases — scientist have devised a way to use the intended mother’s egg with Mitochondrial DNA from a donor.<\/p>\n
Instead of transplanting the pronuclei, these researchers injected another woman’s ooplasm – the substance inside the cell that contains the mitochondrial DNA and bathes the nucleus – into the egg cell of the mother with faulty mitochondrial DNA.<\/p>\n
The UK research, permitted by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority and funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, will check that transplanting the pro-nuclei works and is safe.<\/p>\n
The resulting egg would never be allowed to develop into a baby.<\/p>\n
But even if it did, the offspring would still resemble their mother and father because the mitochondrial DNA does not dictate things like hair color.<\/p>\n
The researchers stress that this research is only the very first step in a very difficult process, which they hope will lead to techniques that might prevent the transmission of mitochondrial DNA disease.<\/p>\n
About one in 5,000 children and adults are at risk of developing a mitochondrial disease.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n