![]() ![]() The thorniest ones are linked not to the creation of in-vitro chimeric embryos, but rather the eventual creation of live-born chimeras, such as a human-pig chimera, if future research can overcome current limitations.įully-grown pig chimeras are only a few years away – we need to understand where they stand now ![]() Nonetheless, even when conducted with ample oversight, human-animal chimera research does raise ethical questions. Such projects receive special consideration from regulatory bodies and ethics committees around the world. Research involving non-human primates is carefully scrutinised. While the animals weren’t killed, any use of non-human primates should be approached conservatively and be consistent with international standards. Of note, the study involved the use of eggs harvested from female monkeys. This included extensive ethics reviews undertaken within the institutions involved and consultation with external bioethicists. In the paper, the researchers describe in detail the steps they took to comply with international guidelines. But unlike Frankenstein’s experiments, this study was not done in secret. This project might conjure images of mad scientists (think Victor Frankenstein) meddling with nature, irresponsible and without oversight. They wanted to identify ways to enhance the survival of the human cells and ultimately improve human chimerism in pigs and other evolutionarily-distant species, with a view to developing transplantable “human” organs from animal donors. Rather, they created an in-vitro model (outside a living organism) to explore what happens to the transferred human cells. In this recent study, researchers weren’t attempting to create human-monkey chimeras with a view to harvest organs. What's the benefit in making human-animal hybrids? The question of how to solve this challenge is what led to the recent experiment. However, the contribution of human cells was low and the goal to create transplantable organs remained elusive. Researchers have previously created human-pig chimeras, where pig embryos containing human cells were allowed to grow into a foetus. If done successfully, a chimera could grow an organ suitable for direct transplant into a human. They were interested in addressing the shortage of life-saving organs for human transplantation. For the researchers who led the study, the rationale was clear. Some will find the idea of mixing human cells with any animal embryo (let alone a primate embryo) highly questionable. These embryos were then kept in a laboratory, where researchers monitored the interactions between the human and monkey cells for up to 14 days, although most embryos didn’t survive. The human-monkey embryos comprised mostly of monkey cells and some human cells. In the recent study, human stem cells were placed inside six-day-old monkey embryos created by fertilisation. ![]() This usually involves conducting microsurgery to introduce “ pluripotent” stem cells - which can develop into several different types of cells - into a host embryo from another species. Inter-species chimeras are made by mixing cells belonging to one species with those of another. Human-monkey chimeras were first made in 2019. University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU. Julian Koplin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. She is a non-executive director with the National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia, Vice-President of the Australasian Society for Stem Cell Research, Chair of the Ethics Committee of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and a member of the taskforce currently updating the ISSCR Guidelines. Megan Munsie receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Medical Research Future Fund. Resarch Fellow in Biomedical Ethics, Melbourne Law School and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Deputy Director - Centre for Stem Cell Systems and Head of Engagements, Ethics & Policy Program, Stem Cells Australia, The University of Melbourne ![]()
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