Artificial embryos built from scratch using stem cells have been created by scientists. Researchers bypassed the act of fertilization by growing the self-assembling structures in the laboratory. Although the cells used came from mice, the experiment has opened up a new frontier in embryo research with major ethical implications. Creating embryos in the lab is expected to help scientists unlock the mysteries of early human development.
However, one expert said any artificial embryos made from human stem cells would have to be the subject of an “ethical discussion”. Attempting to create a baby from such a technique would be outlawed in the UK. The Cambridge University team led by Professor Magdalena Zernica-Goetz had previously used two types of stem cell and a “jelly” scaffold to produce a much simpler 3D structure resembling a mouse embryo. READ MORE
