Lack of Human Eggs Could Hamper US Cloning Efforts
Researchers want to make patient-matched stem cells, but success could depend on gaining a reliable source of human eggs.
…Unlike other embryonic stem cell research, these experiments require unfertilized human eggs. The egg donation procedure is uncomfortable, potentially painful, and carries some medical risk. Women must undergo hormone treatments to stimulate ovulation, counseling sessions to understand the risks involved, and a medical procedure in which a needle is inserted into the vagina to remove eggs from the ovary. A small percentage of donors develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which in rare cases can cause kidney damage….