Embryo News and Research

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Scientists question CRISPR human embryo editing claims

A paper published in the journal Nature on the 2nd August described how a gene editing tool CRISPR could be used to correct a genetic mutation that leads to a heart condition. This team had performed the genetic editing on the gene sequences in dozens of viable human embryos to attempt to prevent a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

31 Aug 2017

Scientists identify novel role for retrotransposons in shaping embryonic chromatin landscape

Retrotransposons are repetitive elements that form almost half of the mammalian genome. Even though they are so common, they have previously been considered to be fairly insignificant.

30 Aug 2017

New imaging technique can help assess quality of early-stage embryos

Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, led by the University of Adelaide, have successfully developed an advanced new imaging technique, which can help assess the quality of early-stage embryos.

29 Aug 2017

Mammal embryos discard paternal mitochondria within days of fertilization, new study shows

Mammal embryos shed paternal mitochondria within days of fertilization, perhaps to ensure the offspring a healthy life, a new study shows.

29 Aug 2017

Study shows previously unknown dimension of lymphangiogenesis during worm infection

Lymph nodes are small, kidney-shaped organs found throughout the body. Full of immune cells, their function is to clear out foreign objects and support the immune system.

28 Aug 2017

Study examines link between flame retardants and pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing fertility treatments

Women with higher urinary concentrations of a common type of flame retardant had reduced likelihood of clinical pregnancy and live birth than those with lower concentrations, according to researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

26 Aug 2017

Study reveals impact of flame retardants on reduced clinical pregnancy outcomes

A study conducted by a team of researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has found that for women with an increased concentration of a common type of flame retardant in their urine, there is a decreased possibility of clinical pregnancy as well as live birth when compared to those with a lower concentration.

25 Aug 2017

Long non-coding RNAs could represent novel male infertility drug targets

Scientists have found distinctive portions of genetic material--known as lncRNAs--that help sperm develop. Male mice lacking a particular lncRNA have low sperm count, suggesting lncRNAs could represent novel infertility drug targets.

24 Aug 2017

Researchers uncover mechanism that explains hindlimb positioning in tetrapod evolution

In the evolution of tetrapods, the position of the hindlimb has diversified along with the vertebral formula, which is the number of small bones forming the vertebra. Tetrapods, as the name implies, are species that have four feet.

18 Aug 2017

NIH researchers unravel how male, female mouse embryos acquire sex-specific reproductive systems

A protein called COUP-TFII determines whether a mouse embryo develops a male reproductive tract, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and their colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.

17 Aug 2017

Research shows how glutamine plays role in regulating cellular differentiation programs

The 200 different types of cells in the body all start with the same DNA genome. To differentiate into families of bone cells, muscle cells, blood cells, neurons and the rest, differing gene programs have to be turned on or off.

17 Aug 2017

Xenotransplantation – organ transplants from animals may soon be a reality

Researchers have been able to create genetically modified piglets that are cleaned of the viruses that could causes diseases in humans. This could open up new avenues in organs transplants from pigs to humans. The process of transplanting organs or tissues from animals to humans is called xenotransplantation. The report was published this Tuesday in the journal Science.

11 Aug 2017

Early life exposure to antibacterials could cause irreversible outcomes

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists have discovered that exposure to environmental levels of triclocarban (TCC), an antibacterial chemical common in personal care products like soaps and lotions as well as in the medical field, can transfer from mother to offspring and interfere with lipid metabolism.

9 Aug 2017

Tiny lab-grown structures that resemble amniotic sac may help in infertility research

The first few weeks after sperm meets egg still hold many mysteries. Among them: what causes the process to fail, leading to many cases of infertility.

8 Aug 2017

Study shows new method for repairing disease-causing mutation in human embryos

Scientists have demonstrated an effective way of using a gene-editing tool to correct a disease-causing gene mutation in human embryos and stop it from passing to future generations.

3 Aug 2017

Research shows great potential of embryonic gene editing to prevent inherited diseases

Scientists have, for the first time, corrected a disease-causing mutation in early stage human embryos with gene editing.

2 Aug 2017

Sexual transmission of Zika virus reported in Florida

Yesterday, Florida Department of Health reported the first case of sexually transmitted Zika virus this year.

2 Aug 2017

Freezing of IVF embryos more likely to increase pregnancy rates, study finds

A delay in transferring embryos to the mother improves the success of in vitro fertilization in certain cases, according to a study by scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Celmatix Inc. and several other institutions.

1 Aug 2017

Large clinical study reveals the performance of Natera's Panorama® non-invasive prenatal test

Natera, Inc. a leader in non-invasive genetic testing and the analysis of circulating cell-free DNA, today announced the publication of a large clinical experience study evaluating the performance of the company's Panorama® non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT).

From Natera 31 Jul 2017

Gene editing technology shines light on rare dyskeratosis congenita

Using the gene editing technology CRISPR, scientists have shed light on a rare, sometimes fatal syndrome that causes children to gradually lose the ability to manufacture vital blood cells.

27 Jul 2017