Human embryo created using skin cell DNA for 1st time

ISTANBUL

For the first time, US scientists have created early-stage human embryos by reprogramming DNA from skin cells and fertilizing it with sperm, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications.

Researchers at Oregon Health and Science University have developed a technique that involves removing the nucleus — which contains the full set of genetic instructions for building a human body — from a skin cell.

This breakthrough could potentially help people with infertility caused by age or illness, by allowing nearly any cell in the body to serve as the starting point for creating life.

But the method still needs major improvements, which experts say could take up to a decade before it's ready for use in fertility clinics.

While researchers praised the achievement, they underlined the importance of having an open discussion about the ethical and societal implications of such scientific advances, which essentially rewrite the age-old recipe for creating new life.