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In Vitro Gametogenesis
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# In Vitro Gametogenesis Portal: Reproduction & Development Stage: Preclinical (mouse), early human components Evidence: Preclinical Template: Technology Risk: High Reversibility: Irreversible Last reviewed: May 2026 == Summary == Making eggs and sperm from ordinary cells would upend reproduction — it has produced healthy pups in mice, but a safe human version does not yet exist. == Key takeaways == * IVG turns stem cells into eggs or sperm, decoupling reproduction from existing gametes. * Whole cycles have worked in mice; human cells have reached only intermediate stages. * It could enable same-sex genetic parenthood and mass embryo screening — with heavy ethical stakes. == Mechanism == In vitro gametogenesis coaxes pluripotent stem cells through the steps that normally occur in the body to become functional eggs or sperm. In mice, researchers have completed the full female germ line in a dish and produced live, fertile offspring. Human IVG is far harder: human cells have been pushed only to early germ-cell-like and immature stages, and the long, tightly regulated maturation of human gametes has not been reproduced. == Why it matters and where it stops == If it worked in humans, IVG could let people with no viable gametes have genetically related children, enable same-sex genetic parenthood, and — by making eggs abundant — supercharge embryo screening and editing. That same power is the concern. Abundant embryos amplify selection pressures, and gametes made from a stray skin cell raise consent problems. Safety is unestablished, and most jurisdictions do not permit clinical use. == Open questions == * Can human gametes be matured safely and faithfully in vitro? * How should abundant lab-made embryos change the rules on selection and editing? == Watchlist == * Human oocyte maturation * Epigenetic fidelity * Governance of lab-made gametes == References == * Full female germ line in vitro (mouse) — Hikabe et al., Nature, 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27750280/. Produced fertile mouse offspring from stem-cell-derived eggs. * Human oogonia from iPSCs — Yamashiro et al., Science, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30237246/. Reached early human germ-cell stages, short of mature gametes. == Categories == [[Category:Reproduction & Development]] [[Category:IVG]] [[Category:gametes]] [[Category:stem cells]]