An important breakthrough succeeds in creating mice from eggs derived from male cells for the first time!

Japanese researchers have successfully bred seven mice from two biological male parents, using mouse skin cells to create a viable egg and then fertilize it.

They hope this research will advance infertility treatments. But it also paves the way for men in same-sex relationships to conceive a child without needing a surrogate - which has been happening in increasing numbers recently.

"This is the first case of making robust mammary eggs from male cells," said Katsuhiko Hayashi of Kyushu University, who led the research. He went on to say that it could be effective in humans within the next decade.

The researchers, who presented their findings at the Third International Human Genome Editing Summit in London, wanted to develop a treatment for Turner syndrome. The condition only affects women, and occurs when they have an X chromosome that is partially or completely missing in their genetic makeup.

Women generally have two X chromosomes, while men have one X and one Y.

These chromosomes are first developed in the womb and determine whether the fetus will undergo development as male or female.

Women born with one X chromosome are often infertile, have delayed puberty, are smaller and have an increased risk of heart or learning disabilities.

Japanese researchers hope to develop stem cell therapy to repair infertility associated with this condition.

They made stem cells using eight-week-old mice, choosing those that had dropped their Y chromosome for some reason.

The scientists then manipulated the cells in a way to copy the remaining X chromosome, creating a cell with 2 of the X genes - what would normally be considered a female cell.

"The biggest trick in this matter is cloning the X chromosome," said Dr. Hayashi.

They transformed these cells into eggs and used sperm from male mice to fertilize them in the laboratory.

This process resulted in the birth of more than half a dozen healthy mice.

Dr. Hayashi told the new scientist that he believed the door was now open to children born of two parents.

Now, his team hopes to replicate the same process with human cells.

He told the Guardian : "From a purely technology perspective, it will be possible [in humans] even in 10 years' time. I don't know if it will be available for reproduction. This is not only a question for the scientific programme, but also for [society]."

Other experts have described the research as groundbreaking, but say there is still a long way to go before two men can conceive a child without a woman.  Source: Daily Mail