Baby mice grown entirely from skin cells in the lab

20th Oct 2016

Scientists have created healthy baby mice made entirely from skin cells in a world first.

The researchers used stem cells both obtained from embryos and generated from mature cells taken from the tips of mouse tails in order to create the baby mouse. These stem cells were exposed to specific chemicals to coax them to develop into eggs. 

A number of eggs were then fertilised using standard In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) technique, resulting in the production of healthy, fertile offspring.

This incredible break through raises the possibility of using the same techniques for humans - meaning humans could be made entirely in the lab without the help of sperm or eggs. 

To read the full article, please visit Nature website