reproductive technology

I have always said that I would be much more likely to sell my eggs for stem cell research than for use by infertile couples.  Since I want to have my own babies someday, the idea of half my DNA being out there in the world and me not being able to see what form it takes, weirds me out.  However, I wholeheartedly support stem cell research and find it incredibly fascinating.  And it doesn’t weird me out.  Would I let my eggs be used for stem cell research?  You betcha.  Would I let someone pay me $5000-$10000 for them?  Definitely.  Would I take the health risks and risks to my future personal fertility?  Unfortunately, no way..  I say unfortunately because now the formerly hypothetical is actually possible (but the health risks remain).  In an unprecedented move in the forward direction (and a break from what was considered national ethical consensus), the state of New York has approved payment for women donating their eggs to research.

From the statement released by the Empire State Stem Cell Board:

“On June 11, 2009, the Empire State Stem Cell Board (the “Board”) voted to allow funding of research on stem cell lines derived using eggs (called “oocytes”) donated solely for research purposes where the donor was, or will be, compensated for the expense, time, burden and discomfort associated with the donation process — within specified limits — as is currently permitted when women donate oocytes for reproductive purposes in New York State.”

The statement later adds:

“There is no principled reason to distinguish between donation of oocytes for reproductive purposes and research purposes when determining the ethicality of reimbursement.  The risks associated with donating oocytes to stem cell research are no greater than those associated with reproductive donations.  Moreover, donating oocytes to stem cell research arguably confers a greater benefit to society than does oocyte donation for private reproductive use.”

And:

“Similarly, there is no ethical basis for promulgating different payment policies for women who donate oocytes to stem cell research and from participants in other types of human subjects research.  National and international consensus bodies, as well as ethics scholars, generally have found it acceptable to provide reasonable compensation to subjects who participate in human subjects research to remunerate for the time and discomfort associated with participation in such research. To treat differently women who donate oocytes to stem cell research would be unjust, and would demean the significant contribution that oocyte donors make to society by participating in stem cell research.”

To donate one’s eggs, a woman has to inject hormones into her own abdomen for weeks, in order to stimulate the ovaries to release a large quantity of eggs at once.  This and the retrieval process can cause minor complications such as mood swings and swelling and bruising at injections sites, to major complications such as structural damage to reproductive organs or decreased fertility.  However, for some women who aren’t worried about being fertile, need the cash, and/or are feeling especially altruistic, it might be a good option.

I’m thankfully able to support myself on a meager graduate fellowship at the moment, so although I wish I could contribute to stem cell research somehow, I’ll hold on to my fertility and extra ooooooooooocytes for now!

Effluent from a wastewater treatment plant in Montreal was found to contain:

(measured in nanograms of hormone per liter of water)

90ng/L Estradiol - a natural estrogen, prescribed for HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)

53ng/L Norethindrone - used in BCPs (Birth Control Pills), HRT, and menstruation regulation

30ng/L Levonorgestrel - used in BCPs and morning after pills

The latter two are synthetic progestagens, compounds which mimic progesterone.  Human and animal excretion is considered the primary source of natural and synthetic estrogens and progestagens found in aquatic ecosystems.  Some of these hormones have been shown to reach our drinking water as well.  These hormone levels are sufficient enough to have endocrine-disrupting effects in wild aquatic ecosystems, which are receiving the effluent.  In some fish, exposure to as little as 1ng/L of a hormone can result in hermaphroditism, feminization and decreased fertility.  The numbers found in the Montreal effluent were between 30 and 90 times that amount!  Pretty scary.

Study Reference: Viglino L., K. Aboulfadl, M. Prevost, S. Sauve. 2008. Analysis of natural and synthetic endocrine disruptors in environmental waters using online preconcentration coupled with LC-APPI-MS/MS. Talanta 76: 1088-1096.

For the first time, scientists have succesfully gotten a surrogate animal to produce offspring of another species. Masu salmon parents conceived babies that were 100% rainbow trout. Previous attempts using fertile salmon were far less successful. This time around, however, as reported in the September 14th issue of Science, Okutsu et al. used salmon, which were sterile and unable to produce their own egg and sperm. The sterile salmon were triploid, meaning they had 3 sets of chromosomes in their cells. Humans, and most other animals are diploid, meaning we have 2 sets of chromosomes. Human gametes (eggs and sperm) contain just 1 set, then the egg and sperm combine completing the double set that codes for the new organism made of half mom and half dad. However, if you have a triploid organism, the 3 sets cannot equally divide in half to create viable sperm or egg, so these individuals are sterile, with rare exceptions.

In this study, germ cells that are the progenitors of sperm and eggs were harvested from trout and implanted into young salmon embryos. The salmon grew and developed viable rainbow trout sperm and eggs exclusively. When combined through artificial insemination, the surrogate female salmon produced offspring which were fully trout. Although salmon and trout are not endangered, many species closely related to them are. This successful innovative use of surrogates provides a technique for increasing population numbers of genetically true individuals of endangered fish species. Masu salmon reproduce more quickly than the trout do, so if the trout for example did become endangered, this technique would allow baby trout to be produced more quickly than nature would normally allow. And the technology is not specific to salmon and trout, suggesting that it could applied to other species as well… at least other fish species, it appears. Pretty neat.