Chinese scientists have used embryonic stem cell engineering to create the first mice with two fathers to reach adulthood, which has also revealed a possible way to enhance the developmental potential of embryos.

While scientists successfully created mice with two female parents over two decades ago, achieving the same feat with two male parents has proven a challenge.

The latest development was made possible through the targeted genetic engineering of imprinted genes. Those genes are typically expressed from only one copy from either the mother or father while the other copy is silenced.

“We show that correcting 20 imprinted loci enables the development of viable bi-paternal mice,” the team led by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences wrote in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Stem Cell on Tuesday.

“These findings provide strong evidence that imprinting abnormalities are the main barrier to mammalian unisexual reproduction,” Luo Guanzheng, co-corresponding author and a professor at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, said in a journal press release.

“This approach can significantly improve the developmental outcomes of embryonic stem cells and cloned animals, paving a promising path for the advancement of regenerative medicine,” Luo said.

Archive link