http://www.the-times.co.uk/news/pages/sti/2000/02/20/stinwenws01012.html?999

February 20 2000 BRITAIN

Cell fusion paves the way for gays to have children

RESEARCHERS are planning to create the first primate with three parents, paving the way for gay couples to have children who carry both partners' genes, writes Jonathan Leake. The research involves creating two embryos and then fusing them to create an individual made up of two types of cell. Such animals are called chimeras.

The technique has been widely applied to mice and other species but has never before been tried in primates.

American reproductive scientists at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Centre believe that such research is necessary because of the medical insights it will give into the way different areas of an embryo develop into parts of the body.

Such knowledge would be particularly useful in applying embryonic stem cell therapy, a technology that could offer a cure for killer diseases ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Gerald Schatten, whose team hopes the first chimeric rhesus monkeys will be born this year, said: "We cannot research these new techniques in people so we need to use a closely related animal.

"There have been discussions about whether these techniques could also be used to allow two people of the same sex to have a baby carrying both their genes. It is technically possible, but I cannot imagine anyone who would want to do this."

However, Lee Silver, professor of genetics at Princeton University, believes that the technique will generate huge demand. Creating babies containing the genetic material of two men would involve obtaining eggs, ideally from the same woman, and fertilising some with sperm from one man and some with sperm from his partner.

The resulting embryos would then be treated with chemicals designed to stick them together. The resulting chimera, brought to term in a surrogate mother, would have three parents. Every cell would have half its genes from the mother, but half the remaining genes would be from one man and half from the other. The process could also be adapted for two women. Silver said: "Every technical detail of this could be carried out today."

Human chimeras occur naturally when two eggs become fertilised but, instead of developing into twins, they fuse in the womb.

British fertility experts are, however, cautious. Ian Craft, director of the London Gynaecology and Fertility Centre, said: "The chances of it ever happening in Britain are low. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority would not allow it."

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), February 21, 2000

Answers

Hum!! This could add real dimension to the "extended family" concept........

-- suzy (suzy@nowhere.com), February 22, 2000.

YUCK!

-- Just Curious (jnmpow@flash.net), February 22, 2000.