OHSU researchers create human eggs from skin cells, pointing to new frontier in fertility treatment

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have achieved a scientific first: transforming human skin cells into eggs that can be fertilized in the lab.

Their study, published Tuesday in Nature Communications , is the first demonstration showing that skin cells can be reprogrammed to form eggs capable of developing into early embryos.

The finding hints at a future where people who cannot produce eggs of their own might have new options for building a family. But scientists say work is an early proof of concept and remains far from medical use.

Dr. Paula Amato, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at OHSU and a co-author of the study, said the method could one day help women who no longer produce viable eggs due to age or medical treatments, and it may even allow same-sex coupl