Japanese scientists led by Professor Michinori Saito have succeeded in producing murine eggs from murine embryo stem cells using culture medium containing vitamin A and proteins. Their aim is to achieve the same result in humans. Their study, which was published on Tuesday, in a European scientific journal (European Molecular Biology Laboratory), highlights a 90% success rate after one week’s culture.
Until now, immature eggs were obtained by “culturing murine embryo stem cells with somatic ovarian cells“. The novelty lies in the culture medium, which did not contain any somatic cells. The team also wants to obtain mature eggs without implementing an in-vivo development stage.
Note from Gènéthique: In earlier studies, the Michinori Saito team worked with iPS cells and mice were produced from those cells: Des cellules IPS donnent naissance à des souris.
The Japan Times (20/09/2017)