Stem cells isolated from the skin of pig fetuses can produce egg-like cells! Yes, Canadian scientists at the University of Guelph say they have found such stem cells.
It has been found in mammals that during embryonic development and migrate to the gonads, where they form sperm or eggs, germ cells become segregated from non-germ cells (called somatic cells).
But, even post-embryonic somatic stem cells can also give rise to egg-like cells in vitro. This is shown in the recent research made by Julang Li and colleagues. Li said the ability to generate egg-like cells from cells derived from the skin provides new possibilities for tissue therapy and reproductive engineering, although it remains unclear whether such eggs can be fertilized to form viable embryos.
Via: Physorg