Can test tube babies inherit their parents' genes?
IVF is a method of assisted reproduction through in vitro fertilization technology. It realizes pregnancy and delivery by cultivating the fertilized eggs in the laboratory to a certain stage of development and implanting them into the mother's uterus. So, will IVF inherit parents' genes? Next, we will elaborate on this issue from four aspects.
1. The embryo's genes come from both parents
In the process of IVF, eggs and sperm are obtained from both parents. The formation of the fertilized egg is the combination of the egg and the sperm, in which the egg carries the genetic information of the female and the sperm carries the genetic information of the male. Therefore, the genes contained in the embryo come from the genetic material of both parents.
In the laboratory operation of IVF, although eggs and sperm will be purified and screened to some extent, the genetic information carried by them will not be changed. Therefore, there is a direct genetic relationship between IVF and its parents.
In some cases, both husband and wife may have some genetic disease or gene mutation, in which case it is possible to screen and intervene the genetic genes of the fertilized egg. By selecting healthy fertilized eggs for implantation, the risk of children suffering from genetic diseases can be reduced.
2. Possibility of foreign genes
In the process of IVF, the culture and implantation of fertilized eggs are carried out in the laboratory. Although the main purpose of IVF is to maintain the original gene information in the fertilized egg, in practice, environmental factors and technical operations may introduce some foreign genes.
Some studies have found that the success rate of pregnancy and delivery of IVF is related to the laboratory environment, the composition of culture medium and other factors. This means that test tube babies may inherit some non parental genetic information related to laboratory technical operations. However, this foreign gene has little impact on the genetic characteristics of IVF and will not change the parental genetic information contained in IVF itself.
3. Embodiment of parental genetic information in phenotypes
The genes inherited from the parents of IVF not only exist in the genome, but also are displayed through phenotype. The genetic information of parents determines some physical characteristics of IVF, such as eye color, hair color, skin type, etc. In some genetic diseases, IVF may also be sick.
In addition, in some cases, IVF may inherit the physical characteristics of parents, such as height, physique, intelligence, etc. These characteristics are determined by parents' genetic factors and will be reflected in IVF.
4. Genetic diversity and mutation risk
IVF has genetic diversity similar to natural pregnancy. Because the formation process of fertilized eggs is the same as that of natural pregnancy, the genetic diversity of IVF is similar to that of natural concept.
However, because IVF fertilized eggs will be interfered by some environmental and operational factors in the process of cultivation in the laboratory, mutations will occur in some rare cases. This mutation risk is lower than the risk of natural pregnancy, but it cannot be completely ruled out.
To sum up, IVF will inherit the parents' genes. The genetic information of IVF comes directly from the eggs and sperm of both parents. Although it is possible to introduce some foreign genes, it has little impact on the genetic characteristics of IVF. The genetic information of parents will be displayed in the physical characteristics of IVF through phenotype. In addition, the genetic diversity of IVF is similar to that of natural pregnancy, but there is a mutation risk in very few cases.
