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Centre at LIFE, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
R0145: Epigenetic Studies of Preimplantation Embryos and Derived Stem Cells
R0153: Mitochondrial DNA Disorders: Is there a way to prevent transmission?
Epigenetic Studies of Preimplantation Embryos and Derived Stem Cells (R0145)
Licence holder: Professor Alison Murdoch
Lay Summary:
The very early stages of embryo development, before the embryo implants, are a time at which many important aspects of how the genetic code in the embryo is expressed. Mistakes may occur during this time. We plan to investigate this by studying embryos at each of these different stages from when they are just 4 cells until they are a cluster of many cells about 5 days after fertilisation. Cells will be isolated from this cluster from which we can grow stem cells and we will also carry out the genetic tests on these cells.
Stem cell lines so derived will be made available to the National Stem Cell Bank for further approved studies. The embryos used for this study are those of poor quality which are not suitable for treatment. If not used for research they would otherwise be discarded according to patients consent.
Licence holder: Professor Alison Murdoch
Lay Summary:
It is recognised that human embryonic stem cells offer a great potential for therapies for many diseases such as diabetes. These stem cells are derived from embryos which are created for IVF treatment but which are not suitable for treatment. If stem cell treatments are to reach their full potential we need to derive stem cell lines which are genetically similar to the recipient so they will not be rejected. This may require the application of techniques such as nuclear transfer and parthenogenic activation. Nuclear transfer involves the transfer of genetic material from adult skin cells to eggs which have had the cell's nucleus removed. Parthenogenic activation involves an egg being artificially stimulated by chemical or electronic means in order to make the egg start embryo development. The present application is to undertake some of the initial studies that are needed to understand methods that will develop this technology.
Research Licence Committee Minutes (98 Kb)
Variation of licence to include additional sources of eggs for research
Mitochondrial DNA Disorders: Is there a way to prevent transmission? (R0153)
Licence holder: Dr Mary Herbert
Lay Summary:
Mitochondria are organelles that convert the food we eat into energy. There are many mitochondria in every cell of our body. Each mitochondrion has its own DNA which is separate from 'nuclear' DNA. Nuclear DNA contains genetic information in the cell which influences the make up of the whole body, however mitochondrial DNA only provides instructions on how mitochondria behave. If these genes are damaged an affected person may develop severe disease leading to disability and death. Mitochondrial genes are inherited only through the mother who may pass the disease on to her children. At present no treatment for mitochondrial diseases exists.
Previous studies in mice have shown it is possible to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial disease by moving the pronuclei (pronuclei ultimately develop into an embryo's nucleus containing the embryo's 'nuclear' DNA) from an egg containing bad mitochondria to another egg which only contains good mitochondria.
In experiments conducted on mice, eggs developed normally and non affected mice were born after the procedure. These experiments are very encouraging but there are many differences between mouse and human eggs.
We are proposing to determine if moving the pronuclei could ever be used for our patients by taking abnormally fertilised human eggs (which cannot be used for treatment) and transferring the pronuclei from one egg to another. Following this transfer we would monitor the possible carry-over of mitochondria between eggs and will determine whether the egg then develops normally.
We hope that these studies will provide vital information as to whether we could ever prevent the transmission of mitochondrial diseases from mother to child.
How the decision to licence this clinic was made (32.01 Kb)
Freedom of Information