Is three-parent IVF the answer to preventing mitochondrial defects?

Abstract

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), as its name implies, is an embodiment of the mitochondrial genetic information that constitutes about 1% of the mammalian genome. It fills a vital niche in tracing matrilineality; the mtDNA is inherited solely from the mother and plays a crucial role in genealogical research. Even a single mutation in the mtDNA can have debilitating and life-altering consequences. Mothers carrying mtDNA mutations will inevitably pass it on to the future generation. Three-parent In vitro fertilization (IVF), a breakthrough technique, shows promising potential to prevent mothers with mtDNA defects from passing it on to their future generation, while also maintaining the genetic link to their posterity. In this review, I delve into the intricacies of this technique, compare and analyze the difference between maternal spindle transfer and pronuclear transfer, discuss the prospective therapeutic effects, and highlight the ethical concerns surrounding this procedure. Considering the various challenges and ethics of this contentious technique, the paper seeks to answer the rousing question – Is three-parent IVF the answer to preventing mitochondrial defects?