The International Society of Stem Cell Research, also known as ISSCR, released a guideline in May regarding the research process of early human life. The stem cell society included potential models and other innovative recommendations as a reference to improvise biological studies on human embryos.
The ISSCR guidelines, which are published in the stem cell society's website, elaborates certain rules on how to conduct studies on the early stages of life. It also implies directives about procedures that are not allowed, including genetic manipulation.
14-Day Rule, Primitive Streak, and iBlastoids Embryo
The "14-day rule," among other pointers, was recommended to be relaxed by the ISSCR. The old rule acts as an obstacle to biologists in many countries, as it prohibits them from conducting human embryo experiments. The unofficial rule of 14 days has been strictly followed by experts since the 1980s, where it was not yet possible to develop a human embryo six days prior to fertilization. Today, the ISSCR guidelines have dropped the barrier, allowing experiments on human embryos beyond 14 days.
iBlastoids, or human embryos generated from skin cells, were successfully developed by a team of scientists as a success earlier this year. The discovery, which the ISSCR has incorporated along with other advances in their guidelines, is beneficial in biological studies, as it allows studies on human development without harming any living embryos. iBlastoids serve as a replacement to actual embryos in finding the answers to biological questions such as infertility, miscarriage, and abnormalities.
Culturing human embryos is now possible with the current technologies, however, due to the longer research timespan that was implemented in the stem cell guidelines, there have been protests to revise it, reports The Age. To many, overlapping this specific timespan destroys human etiquette.
A primitive streak is what causes the debate in stem cell studies. When a human embryo reaches 14 days, it develops the primitive streak where the neural cord materializes, forming the central nervous system. The primitive streak serves as an anchor to ethical treatment and scientific research.
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Biological Studies of Human Embryo: ISSCR vs NHMRC
The ISSCR regulations, on the other hand, have already included answers regarding the development of primitive streak and the 14-day rule. According to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald, the stem cell society recommends a case-to-case basis on human embryo growth and research that will exceed a span of two weeks. These cases will be evaluated for continuation or suspension.
On the other hand, iBlastoids were not affected by the guidelines. ISSCR stated in the guidelines that the iBlastoid specimens were not comparable to living human embryos under legislation in many countries, hence, they are not subject to the 14-day reviewing period.
The biological advancements are heightened by the iBlastoids model, as it functions as an alternative for living human embryos on performing pre-fertilization research, reports Nature. However, the iBlastoid subjects are not yet on par with the real human embryos, as it exhibits abnormal molecular and cellular changes that cannot be found in human embryo behaviors.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), contrary to the ISSCR, stated that iBlastoid specimens are still included in the same 14-day evaluation which the real embryo researchers undergo. With that said, biology experts anticipate a discussion for the true meaning of human embryos in reference to the incorporation of iBlastoids with traditional embryo research. This may also change legislative laws in several countries regarding the biological studies of early human life development.
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