embryo splitting
Quick Summary
Embryo splitting is a biotechnological process that involves dividing a zygote (a fertilized egg) into two or more separate cell masses. This technique is a key component of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and is used in animal breeding and human fertility treatments.
The process begins with the early cellular divisions of the zygote, known as cleavage. During cleavage, the single-celled zygote divides into multiple smaller cells called blastomeres. If these blastomeres separate at a sufficiently early stage, they can develop into individual, genetically identical organisms. This is how identical twins naturally form.
In biotechnology, embryo splitting can be used to create multiple embryos from a single fertilized egg, potentially increasing the success rate of IVF or allowing for the production of genetically identical animals. Ethical considerations surrounding IVF, including the creation, use, and potential destruction of embryos, are also relevant to embryo splitting.1
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