Overview

• An international team led by Oregon Health & Science University reports generating human oocytes from skin-cell nuclei, published in Nature Communications.
• The method combines somatic nuclear transfer into enucleated donor eggs with an experimental step called mitomeiosis to reduce chromosome number to gamete-like levels.
• Researchers produced up to 82 reconstructed oocytes and fertilized them in vitro, with roughly 9% of resulting embryos reaching the blastocyst stage.
• Most embryos arrested at early cleavage stages and many blastocysts showed chromosomal abnormalities, and none were cultured beyond blastocyst in line with U.S. rules.
• Authors and outside experts say clinical use would require years of research plus ethical and regulatory review, with potential future applications for some infertility cases including low ovarian reserve, cancer survivors, and same-sex couples.