io9
In three to five years, a baby will be born with two genetic mothers and one father. This could prove to be a boon for polyamorous families of the future who want to have children with more than two parents. A team of British researchers working with embryos have now perfected the three-parent babymaking technique.
The technique is actually designed to prevent certain genetic diseases associated with the mother's mitochondrial DNA (a small amount of DNA that lives outside the cell nucleus). One woman contributes her nuclear DNA, one contributes mitochondrial DNA, and the father contributes the typical chunk of his own nuclear DNA. Presto: a baby with three genetic parents.
No three-parent babies have been born yet, but the researchers say they've done enough testing that they plan to make the procedure available in the next three to five years. Here's how it works:
The process involves in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the subsequent removal of the egg's nucleus. The nucleus is then placed into a donor egg whose DNA has been removed. The resulting fetus inherits nuclear DNA, or genes, from both parents but mitochondrial DNA from a third party.(Thanks, Stephanie!) Photo via Reuters.
Scientists create three-parent embryos [Reuters]
Comments
Ford:Arthur, this is Zaphod Beeblebrox. He's my semi-half brother...
Zaphod: He shares three of the same mothers as me!
Um..."Heather Has Two Mommies (and a Daddy)?"
reproductive science: existing for the sole purpose of throwing new wrinkles into 'law & order' episodes.
'mommies, would you call daddy one lucky son of a "shut yo mouth"?'
That's cool, if only for the degree to which it will offend the 'nuclear family' fetishists and the 'interfering with God's design' fetishists.
It'll probably also spawn a bunch of purportedly scary movies of the 'expressing junk DNA' variety.
-Kle.
Gattaca here we come.
This could prove to be a boon for polyamorous families of the future who want to have children with more than two parents.
Because that's really what we sit all night worrying about.
@joshjasper: I know! It's actually the biggest question in the minds of tons of people. And after the Heinlein world comes to pass, it will be even more important.
@joshjasper: It is if you're one of the aforementioned nuclear family fetishists.
@joshjasper: The poly triads I know sure do...
Not Mitochondrial DNA! Didn't anyone see Parasite Eve!?
A child with two mothers and a father I'm ok with. Two father's and one mother, I'm just not into.
You know, I've been really into the idea of polyamorous relationships for a long time. But I've never really been able to make it work out the way I'd always hoped it could.
Oh, did I mention that my wife is totally not into the idea at all?
Mitochondria are symbiotic bacteria remnants captured long ago. Mitochondria provide energy. Mitochondrial DNA must be relatively simple (relatively). Next up: super-powered artificial mitochondria?
Hey, as a polyamorous person, I actually .do. think about these things more than you might think.
Conversely, I'm also a post-op transsexual, so I won't be siring any more children this lifetime, most likely. ^.^
Why stop at three?
When I was in 9th grade Biology, we did that exercise where we pair up and try to determine what our child would look like and we drew a picture (learning about genetics).
The class was overwhelmingly female and also odd-numbered, and I ended up in a group of three girls. We named our freak child drawing "Georgy Porgy, Came from an Orgy."
It's one thing to live in a polyamorous relationship and another to be hellbent on everyone in the relationship having an actual biological stake in the baby, neh?
I'm not against the idea, per se, but what's the point? If it were medical reasons, then I could understand....but just for the sake of it?
A poly triad family that I know is raising twins (they're now 6 years old) who are the bio children of the dad, the birth children of Mom 1, and the bio grandchildren of Mom 2, done via donor eggs and IVF. The family took this route because Mom 1's eggs were infertile and Mom 2 was past menopause. It sure worked. The kids are the cutest, smartest things you've ever seen.
The grownups often say the kids have the almost the closest thing possible to three bio parents. That's not true any longer, it seems.
--Alan7388
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Jamie, interesting perspective. Also, interesting symbol--I like the trinity aspect to it. Irish?
I really don't think this process of passing on mDNA actually counts as being a parent. As far as I know, none of "you" is determined by your mDNA. The only thing it's useful for is tracing lineage through the maternal ancestry.
Call me when they harvest a cell in meiosis and mix-n-match entire chromosomes.
@Gyrus: First thing I thought of when I saw the headline.
beg to differ, THATGUYOVERTHERE: "you" are a exact combination of your mom mDNA and your pa Y chromosome.
@ ANNALEE - Come to pass? Have you met the leadership of Church Of All Words?
If Gawker wants to pay my trip out, I'll interview them for ya :-)
You know, I read this elsewhere, and this one quote came to mind:
"Two-thirds of him is god, one-third of him is human.
The Great Goddess Aruru designed the model for his body, she prepared his form..."
From Gilgamesh.
@ajuK:
I think his point was your genetic makeup and everything about you is in your chromosomal DNA, not your mito DNA. The DNA in the mitochondria never get out of them.. they don't interact with your chromosomal DNA, and in fact other than acting as energy pumps don't really do that much to the rest of your cells.
@Katana_Mind: From the article, its to prevent genetic abnormalities because of the mitos of a single woman.
Hmm, and this is just a bit close to the Alien movies YY chromosome.
that would be Jesus. The virgin mary carries the xx & xy choromosomes, the 3rd was provided by imaculate conception there by being the 1st child with 3 genetic parents.-blurey
The whole thing's rather a mixed bag, isn't it? Sure, you'd inherit some of the evolutionary advantages from three parents instead of simply two but, you'd also inherit some the evolutionary disadvantages from three instead of two. Perhaps instead of two parents who don't love you, you'd now have three compounding the chances of feeling even less worthy as a human being. Of course, instead of love from two you could receive incredible love from three which could give you extraordinary grounding and confidence - something we could certainly use far more of than we currently enjoy on average.
At any rate, regardless of the genetic and emotional benefits or drawbacks, if science increases the possibilities of what one can do with their own genetic material, why not? We ought to be evolving AWAY from limits to our development, not toward them, right?
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