Babies are made out of the physical love that the parents share with each other. And it is because of this sharing of love and a few sperms that the baby is born with an intermixing of the DNA of both the parents.
The baby shares the genes of both the parents which basically mean that it requires the DNA of two people of different sexes to make a baby. But what if it has three DNAs? Can a baby be born with three biological parents? And if yes, will that imply that the baby has three parents DNA?
The UK shocked the entire world with the news of a baby born with three biological parents. Although the successful operation opened new gates for modern science; but the question of ‘Is it healthy to have a baby with three DNAs? is still bewildering the minds of most of us.
April 2016 has been marked as a milestone date in the history of advanced sciences. A baby born was given birth using three DNA’s, meaning that the baby has three biological parents. This experiment has surely made him the first (intentional) “three-parent” baby.
As per the doctors of the UK, who performed the surgery, the process did not involve mixing of three DNA’s to find out any fascinating results but was done so to compensate for the damaged mitochondria’s in the first biological mother. Only a small portion of the unrelated mother’s DNA was fused with the DNA’s of the related father and mother. The resultant baby got his genetic inheritance from all the three parents making him the baby with three parents.
(Image Courtesy: Mom is Born)
But why did the parents allow such a fuse?
The first mother of the baby had issues with her mitochondria which are the tiny yet important structures present in the cells. Many of these cells function like small organs and are therefore referred to as organelles. One of the most prominent of these organelles is mitochondria. Their function is to harvest the energy stored in the bonds that link the atoms, and then later use the energy to create another molecule known as the adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
(Image Courtesy: Hydrogen)
Mutation in the mother’s mitochondria caused hindrances in the process because genetic alteration can cause fatal results. Because of two such previous misfortunes, the mother didn’t want to risk it the third time and therefore agreed on fusing the third DNA.
The second mother’s DNA helped the doctors to substitute the unhealthy mitochondria with the healthy ones. Biologically, the mitochondria passes to the offspring through the mother’s egg, and any sorts of mutation or alteration in them might lead to risks of organs like the brain and the muscles.
Although these organelles only contribute 37 genes, mitochondrial diseases have no medical treatments.
The three parent-baby technique is new and highly controversial. It is said that the technique helped in saving the baby from a deadly genetic disease. but the questions related to its ethnicity and safety are still unanswered.
Do you think that a three parent-baby will be smarter than other babies? Let us know in the comment section today.
(Featured Image Courtesy: Yeshiva World News)
