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Chapter 14 - Germline Nuclear Transfer Technology to Overcome Mitochondrial Diseases and Female Infertility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2021

By
Mao-Xing Tang ,
Annekatrien Boel ,
Paul Couke  and
Björn Heindryckx
Edited by
Gianpiero D. Palermo  and
Zsolt Peter Nagy
Gianpiero D. Palermo
Affiliation:
Cornell Institute of Reproductive Medicine, New York
Zsolt Peter Nagy
Affiliation:
Reproductive Biology Associates, Atlanta, GA
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Summary

Mitochondrial (mt)DNA mutations can cause a broad range of severely debilitating or fatal disorders. There is no cure available and the only available treatments have purely symptomatic effects. Preventing mitochondrial disease transmission is therefore a major priority. Germline nuclear transfer (NT), such as maternal spindle (ST), pronuclear (PNT) or polar body (PBT) transfer, has been proposed as a possible strategy to prevent mother-to-child transmission of mtDNA mutations. This technology involves nuclear genome transfer from an oocyte or zygote carrying mtDNA mutations to an enucleated donor counterpart with healthy mtDNA. In addition, the technology has also been considered as a treatment option for certain infertility indications, such as women experiencing poor embryo development, with the expectation of improving in vitro treatment outcomes. Here, we provide an overview on recent developments in the field of NT, either with the aim to avoid mtDNA diseases or to overcome certain forms of female infertility.

Keywords

germline nuclear transfermitochondrial diseasesinfertilitymitochondrial DNAembryo development
Type
Chapter
Information
Manual of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection in Human Assisted Reproduction
With Other Advanced Micromanipulation Techniques to Edit the Genetic and Cytoplasmic Content of the Oocyte
 , pp. 141 - 147
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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