Scientists reported Wednesday they had grown human embryos in the lab for nearly two weeks, an unprecedented feat that promises advances in assisted reproduction, stem-cell therapies and the basic understanding of how human beings form.
Besides opening a window onto the first steps in the creation of an individual, the findings in parallel studies may help explain early miscarriages and why in vitro fertilization has such a high failure rate.
The research also showed for the first time that newly-forming human embryos can mature beyond a few days outside a mother's womb, something that was previously thought to be impossible.
But the widely hailed results also set science on a collision course with national laws and ethical guidelines, experts cautioned.
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| Scientists report that they have grown human embryos in the lab for nearly two weeks, a breakthrough likely to provide a boost to research on the use of embryonic stem cells to treat certain diseases |
Source: AFP
