Scientists reveal gene-swapping technique to thwart inherited diseases

Source: The Guardian

Scientists today offered new hope for women at risk of passing on certain inherited diseases to their children, in the form of a pioneering technique to move healthy genetic material from fertilised eggs into donated ones.

Researchers from Newcastle University say their breakthrough will help women whose children are at risk of a range of mitochondrial diseases. These disorders can be mild or very severe, and can cause muscle weakness, blindness, heart and liver failure, diabetes and learning disabilities. They affect one child in every 6,500.

The diseases are caused by mutations in the small amount of genetic material in the mitochondria, which provide the cell with energy. Mitochondrial DNA is separate from the nucleus in a fertilised egg, and is passed on solely by the mother.

The disorders their children suffer are untreatable. Women normally discover they are carriers after relatives have had babies with mitochondrial diseases. If they decide to be tested, they must then opt to remain childless or take the chance of passing on the disease to their child.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/apr/14/scientists-gene-swap-technique-disease

Seriously though, since mitochondrial RNA is inherited from the mother (there is no DNA in mitochondria) for both males and females, the chance of passing the disease to a child is 100%

So, if you're willing to change the genetic material of your own egg in order to have a child, why not go all the way?

Why not adopt?

...is that it occupies the cytoplasm of the cell and has no presence in the nucleus. It is inherited from the mother only.

Why? Because it's your own, (People are funny that way.) and the donor could very easily be from the father's side of the family keeping the relationship close.


Adoption is all well and good, but every non orphan adoptee does eventually have to deal with the whole 'not wanted' thing. Furthermore demand so far outstrips supply that adoption is rarely a viable option for most.