Scientists at the Weizmann Institute have made progress in the field of artificial creation of embryos. Their latest research is published in the journal Nature on September 6. This is the third article by scientists on the topic of obtaining an embryo «without fertilization».
They said that they managed to grow a «model»; embryo from stem cells in 14 days, ahead of previously known similar experiments. At the same time, this model has all the components and systems that an embryo should have at this time: the placenta, the yolk sac, the amniotic sac, and other components necessary for the normal development of the fetus.
Professor Yaakov Hanna, head of the research group , emphasizes that the embryo received the status of «model» after genetic engineering, during which one of the genes was removed. It is important to note that the «model» the embryo does not have a heart or brain, and therefore cannot feel pain and will not develop into a human.
However, questions of ethics and morality inevitably arise in the context of such research. Professor Hanna compares them to other areas of scientific research, emphasizing that many disciplines, such as nuclear physics and virology, create moral and ethical dilemmas. He draws attention to the importance of assessing the practical results and their relationship with the risks to society. Scholars consulted with rabbis and other spiritual leaders, who confirmed that the «model» the embryo should not be considered human.