https://www.newscientist.com/article/2107219-exclusive-worlds-first-baby-born-with-new-3-parent-technique/
A baby was born recently with the genetic information from two women and one man using a spindle nuclear transfer not legally approved by the FDA.
Previously, the family was hit by disaster when the mother had four miscarriages because of a deleterious mutation in her mDNA that caused Leigh's syndrome to incorrectly develop their nervous systems. The family was able to have a brand new start thanks to John Zhang a New York City based surgeon willing to travel to Mexico to perform a procedure that would give the family a healthy child.
The procedure is called a spindle nuclear transfer, which involves taking the healthy nucleus from the mother and implanting it into an unfertilized egg with healthy mitochondrial DNA. One of the five embryos with the mother's nucleus developed normally, and it was implanted in the mother. Skip forward nine months and the couple had a little bundle of joy, healthy DNA and all.
His prospects look good despite being one of the few babies born in this way. The mutation in his mitochondria was less than one percent when he was first tested shortly after his birth. Additionally, he cannot pass on these potentially mutated genes because he is a male, and mDNA is passed maternally.
Doctors say that the child will be monitored to ensure that the mutations in his mDNA aren't growing. The FDA will also likely be paying attention to his progress as the technique is still not legal in the United States.
Previously, the family was hit by disaster when the mother had four miscarriages because of a deleterious mutation in her mDNA that caused Leigh's syndrome to incorrectly develop their nervous systems. The family was able to have a brand new start thanks to John Zhang a New York City based surgeon willing to travel to Mexico to perform a procedure that would give the family a healthy child.
The procedure is called a spindle nuclear transfer, which involves taking the healthy nucleus from the mother and implanting it into an unfertilized egg with healthy mitochondrial DNA. One of the five embryos with the mother's nucleus developed normally, and it was implanted in the mother. Skip forward nine months and the couple had a little bundle of joy, healthy DNA and all.
His prospects look good despite being one of the few babies born in this way. The mutation in his mitochondria was less than one percent when he was first tested shortly after his birth. Additionally, he cannot pass on these potentially mutated genes because he is a male, and mDNA is passed maternally.
Doctors say that the child will be monitored to ensure that the mutations in his mDNA aren't growing. The FDA will also likely be paying attention to his progress as the technique is still not legal in the United States.
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