1. What are the potential benefits of mitochondrial replacement? 2. What are the potential risks of mitochondrial replacement? 3. A popular term that has become associated with mitochondrial replacement in the media is "3-parent baby". Do you think that a person resulting from mitochondrial replacement should be considered to actually have three parents? 4. Do you think that mitochondrial replacement therapy should be allowed as a viable reproductive technology in the United States? Explain why or why not. If so, are there any restrictions that you think should be implemented?

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Vincent Simon

Biology

6 May, 13:40

1. What are the potential benefits of mitochondrial replacement? 2. What are the potential risks of mitochondrial replacement? 3. A popular term that has become associated with mitochondrial replacement in the media is "3-parent baby". Do you think that a person resulting from mitochondrial replacement should be considered to actually have three parents? 4. Do you think that mitochondrial replacement therapy should be allowed as a viable reproductive technology in the United States? Explain why or why not. If so, are there any restrictions that you think should be implemented?

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Nikhil Obrien · Answer 1

This medical technology is used as a preemptive measure for mitochondria disease. It is applied when it is believed that there is the highest likelihood that the parent (the mother) will pass mitochondria disease to their offspring. A healthy donor donates healthy mitochondria for invitro fertilization.

The medical technology involves the risk of assisted reproduction. Since the procedure involves disruption of oocytes, it can result in damage to cells that are not well understood and may cause abnormal growth of the embryo. Epigenetic modification of the DNA during the procedure is also a risk factor that may affect the child in the long term.

Technically, the DNA in the person who has undergone mitochondria replacement has DNA from 3 persons. However, socially the person should be considered to have 2 parents since DNA in the nucleus (which is the main code of a cell) comes from the main parents (who are two).

Yes, the technology should be adopted in the United States. This is because it has more benefits than demerits. This is especially true when it is considered that is a near 100% certainty that the mother will pass down metabolic disease (which is life-threatening) to their child. Additionally, the technology is already being practiced in countries like the UK.

Yes, there should be restrictions in the application of the technology. This should be in line with preservation of ethics and human dignity. To avoid its misuse there should be policy guidelines toward its use and only restricted to stipulated cases. The medical tehnology should only when there is certainty that mitochondrial disease will be passed on.