(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-05 21:44

Cloned embryo cells are seen in an undated file photo. Scientists have created a human embryo with three parents in a breakthrough they hope could lead to effective treatments for a range of serious hereditary diseases. [Agencies]

LONDON - Scientists have created a human embryo with three parents in a breakthrough they hope could lead to effective treatments for a range of serious hereditary diseases.

Researchers from Newcastle University presented their findings at a medical conference at the weekend, a university spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

The IVF, or test-tube, embryos were created using DNA from one man and two women.

The idea is to prevent women with faults in their mitochondrial DNA, which can lead to some forms of epilepsy as well muscular and developmental disorders, from passing diseases on to their children.

Mitochondria are tiny power packs inside cells that provide their energy. Faulty genetics can mean mitochondria do not completely burn food and oxygen, leading to the build-up of poisons responsible for more than 40 different diseases.

The Newcastle team believe these diseases could be avoided if embryos at risk were given an effective mitochondrial transplant. The process involves in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and the subsequent removal of the egg's nucleus. The nucleus is then placed into a donor egg whose DNA has been removed.

The resulting foetus inherits nuclear DNA, or genes, from both parents but mitochondrial DNA from a third party.

The technique has so far been tried only in the laboratory and the embryos created were destroyed after six days.

Stiff opposition to the technique is likely from critics of embryo research who fear the creation of designer babies.

The research was presented to the Medical Research Council Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases conference in London on February 1-2.