Jennifer Tram

William Green
Human Biology
October 27, 2016
New Analysis
1.)S,TinaHesman."'ThreeparentBabies'"Https://www.sciencenews.org/.N.p.,18
Oct.2016.Web.27Oct.2016.
2.) What are the main conclusions of the scientist(s)?
In this particular article, doctors and researchers are trying to help patients who
are unable to have children, due to mitochondria diseases, have their own children.
Mitochondria disease is an incurable, however, treatment is not always effective. The
article goes into depth about the process beginning with cytoplasmic transfer, pronuclear
transfer and spindle transfer.
3.) What are some possible impacts this information could have on society or on
individuals?
There are plenty of impacts from this article that could play a huge role in society.
There are couples that hope and dream to have their own families one day and would do
anything that they can to accomplish that goal. Although there are more reasons why I
woman cant have children, one of them being due to mitochondria diseases, these studies
listed in the article can give hope to those who want kids one of these days. Although
transfers arent always success, the six-month-old baby in the article gives woman hope
to one day reproduces.
4.) Are other scientists, or policy-makers, mentioned as being in disagreement with the
researchscientists?Ifso,whatmightmakeyoutendtotaketheirdoubtsseriously(ornot
takethemseriously)?
Pronuclearisknownatthefirstmitochondriareplacementcreatedtoputahaltto
mitochondriadiseases.Pronucleiarenucleifromthespermandaneggthatarefertilized
asknownasthezygote.Thepronucleiaretakenoutofthemotherseggandplacedinthe
donorsemptyegg.Peopleareobjectedtopronucleartransferbecausetheyviewitas
destroyingtwoembryos.However,scientistareareworriedbecauseduringtheprocess
cytoplasmaretransferredalongwiththepronuclei.Mitochondriadiseasefromthe
motherseggisplacedintothedonorsegg.

Theconcernsofothersarealarming,however,Idonotthinkthatothersopinions
playanysignificancetothedecisioninmovingforwardwiththistransfer.Ifeelvery
stronglythatthemother,fatherandthedonorwillhavetoconsiderandreevaluateon
theirown,knowingthatalltransfersarentsuccessful.

5.) Are scientists mentioned in the article affiliated with a nonpartisan group, like a
University or Government, or affiliated with a for-profit corporation? If the latter, do you
suspect that altered their conclusions?
Cohen and colleagues at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston New Jersey
conducted a study of the cytoplasmic transfer. Performed thirty-seven transfers,
producing seventeen babies for thirteen couples. Later down the road, Cohen retested the
babies and two out of eight carried on the disease. As for the other nine, he suggests that
mitochondria levels may have been too low to detect any diseases.
Fertility doctor in New York John Zang, has tried the pronuclear transfer once
before in China. However, the woman he did the transfer on grew three fetuses did not
make it to birth.
I believe that Cohn, his colleagues and Dr. Zang did play a huge role into the
conclusion that scientist and doctors determined. Because knowing the effects of the two
transfers, they developed the last transfers, spindle transfer. The risk of the spindle
transfer is that the chromosome may fall off the spindle. However, the baby boy who was
born in April was due to the spindle transfer.
6.) In what ways did the article change and expand your views of the topic? If it did not
change or expand your views, describe what you knew about the subject before reading
the article.
This article gave me another view of what mitochondria and how it affects each
individual with having kids. I knew that the mitochondria are a humans source of energy,
but I didnt realize how a disease affiliated with the mitochondria didnt have any
treatments. It plays a huge role in reproduction not only energy through our bodies.
7.) Do you think the reporter did a good job or a bad job of giving background for the
story? Please give an example to support your opinion.
I think the reporter did an excellent job with the article. She went into depth in
every single transfer giving me more of an understanding on the process and even
included pictures. She included the research on each topic in very neat detail.

Didyourarticle,orthingsyousawinyoursearchforarticles,changethewayyouthink
aboutscience?Didyouseeevidenceofscientistsactivelyengagedinpublicpolicy
debates,andwereyousurprisedbytheirlevelofadvocacy?
Afterreadingthearticleandansweringthequestionabove,itdidchangemy
perspectiveofscience.Itmademerealizedwhathumanaretrulycapableofwhenmixing
scienceintotheequation.Includinginthearticletherewerepeoplewhodisagreedwith
thewholeideaofdestroyingtwoembryosinorderforonetocarryherownbaby.
However,Idofeellikeitsadecisionbetweenthecarrierandthesponsortodecide.
Discusshowyourarticlemadeconnectionstoanotherdiscipline,likebusiness,
government,politics,economics,orhumanities.Ifitdidntmakeanyconnectionsto
otherdisciplines,discussaconnectionitcouldhavemade.
Thearticleinvolvedmanytiestohumanity.Itgavethechancetohopelesscouples
achancetofindfaithtobeabletostarttheirownfamilyandbeingabletocarrythebaby
throughoutthewholepregnancyandnothavingtofindasurrogate.Scientistanddoctors
arefundedbygovernmentandareabletostartabusinessiftheyreallywantedto.
Describehowtheclassasawholehasimpactedyourviewsonscience,thehumanbody,
andhumanimpactsontheplanet.
This class has made an incredibly changed my view on science. I learned more
than I anticipated. I work as a medical assistant and this class has helped enhance my
knowledge and the human body. I have a better understanding of muscles, cells, organs,
animals and even our own planet. I can confidently explain to a patient at work, if
needed, about the human body and why its important to maintain and stay healthy.