A pair of studies raises ethical and legal questions about the status of lab-grown human embryo models. Philip Ball. June 23.
Scientists' assertions of creating highly advanced synthetic human embryos, developed to a developmental stage comparable to that of 14-day-old natural embryos, have ignited controversy within the scientific community. Crafted from human stem cells, these structures offer unprecedented opportunities for studying embryonic development at later stages. Despite reaching this advanced stage, there's no capability yet to develop these embryo models into human beings. Critics argue that these model embryos cannot be equated with real 14-day embryos, prompting some researchers to advocate for a redefined concept of an embryo. Meanwhile, others suspect that the purpose of synthetic embryos is to navigate around restrictions on embryo research, particularly those prohibiting the use of natural human embryos beyond 14 days.
Source: Philip Ball - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/andr.13494
