Hi everyone, In my story I want to add a minor sci-fi detail. With stem cell research is it possible to do the following? If I gave some stem cells to a research lab and I had the lab modify my DNA slightly so they can create a female clone of myself. Grow the female reproductive organs and implant them in myself. Could it be possible?
I don't think so. Stems are not differentiated, but they still either have an XY or XX configuration.
Well, they could technically take out the Y chromosome, put in an extra copy of your X chromosome and get a female clone that way. It's not exactly easy, but within bounds of what you could do with enough time and funds and only minor artistic license in the story. Obviously, it wouldn't be a perfect clone since there is other stuff than just gender on a Y chromosome. Also, if there would e a defect in a gene on your X chromosome, your female clone would not have an intact copy on the other X chromosome (while females born of two parents have X chromosomes from two different parents). I'm not quite clear on what you mean by the last part of your question. You want a full clone or just the reproductive organs? If the latter, then I do think you might have a more serious issue. It isn't just as easy as "I have an organ, now implant it!". Organs need a whole set of plumbing connected for them to work and I don't think there's established medical procedure in this case.
Well the idea for the character in my story was that he begins to invest money in the stock market and he makes a lot of money. With that money he intended to do the sexual reassignment surgery and he wanted to get the female reproductive organs. So with thw rest of the money he invested with a lab that conducted stem cell research.
As far as I know, you can do whatever you want to DNA. However, to grow organs, you need more than just instructions. It depends on how deeply you'll attempt to explain the process, but it is safe to say that involving both genetic engineering and stem cell identifying/replication would be involved.
Yes, you could just duplicate the X chromosome. Actually, only one of the X chromosomes in females is used; the other is inactivated. So, maybe you could inactivate the Y chromosome only and get the correct female phenotype. As for the organs, scientists are slowly getting there. The main challenge is getting the right tissue structures besides the cells themselves.
