Reply: Stem cell-based embryo models: scientific promise clashes with ethical reality
Human Reproduction, vol. 41, pp. 1624–1626
Abstract
We thank Boiani and Denker (Boiani and Denker 2026) for their engagement with our article. Like them, we welcome involvement with these issues by authors from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. We refute, however, the suggestion that our white paper is coloured by the commercial interests of nine of its 44 authors. Our conflict of interest declaration is offered in good faith and in compliance with the requirements of the journal. We now address each of Denker and Boiani’s three substantive points: To their first point, we disagree that stem cell-based embryo models (SCBEMs) should be referred to as ‘asexual embryos’. This term is used to describe a method by which organisms reproduce and therefore is biologically imprecise if used to refer to the broad category of SCBEMs (as noted elsewhere, SCBEMs today are not able to develop into human beings). The term is rhetorically loaded and risks misleading the public. We note that in the past, IVF was sometimes labelled asexual, with consequences for public perception. The characterization of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) donors as ‘parents’ of SCBEMs can lead to confusion; the relationship between a somatic cell donor and an entity derived from their reprogrammed cells is fundamentally different from parenthood in established biological, ethical, or legal senses.
Authors 44
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Alfonso Martínez Arias corresponding
Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats · Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Affiliation as printed
Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) and MELIS Universitat Pompeu Fabra , Barcelona,
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Institute of Molecular Biotechnology · Austrian Academy of Sciences · Vienna Biocenter
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna BioCenter (VBC) , Vienna,
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut Pasteur · Université Paris Cité · Biologie du Développement et Cellules Souches
Affiliation as printed
Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Stem Cells and Development Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMW 3738 , Paris,
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Otago , Dunedin,
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Affiliation as printed
Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University , Kyoto,
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Institut Pasteur · Université Paris Cité · Biologie du Développement et Cellules Souches
Affiliation as printed
Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3738, Zebrafish Neurogenetics Unit , Paris,
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Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats · Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology
Affiliation as printed
Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) and CRG BIST , Barcelona,
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University of Zurich · University Hospital Zurich
Affiliation as printed
Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich , Zurich,
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Affiliation as printed
Durham Law School, Durham University , Durham,
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Affiliation as printed
Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University , Kyoto,
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Inserm · Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes · Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology · Nantes Université
Affiliation as printed
CHU Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction , Nantes,
Nantes University, CHU Nantes, Inserm, CR2TI , Nantes,
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BGI Group (China) · University of Tabuk
Affiliation as printed
3DC STAR Lab, BGI CELL , Shenzhen,
Prince Fahad bin Sultan Research Chair for Biomedical Research, University of Tabuk , Tabuk,
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI,
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Leiden University Medical Center · Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden,
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) , Leiden Node, Leiden,
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Leiden University Medical Center · Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Department of Medical Ethics & Health Law, Leiden University Medical Center , Leiden,
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) , Leiden Node, Leiden,
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot,
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Affiliation as printed
Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge , Cambridge,
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Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research · Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Centre for Research Application and Training in Embryology (CReATE), Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (BRIC-inStem) , Bangalore,
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) , Bangalore,
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Karolinska University Hospital · Karolinska Institutet
Affiliation as printed
Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm,
Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset , Stockholm,
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University of Zurich · University Hospital Zurich
Affiliation as printed
Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich , Zurich,
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Affiliation as printed
Primate Lab Institute of Neuroscience, CAS , Shanghai,
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Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Inserm · Université Paris Sciences et Lettres · Génétique et biologie du développement · Institut Curie
Affiliation as printed
Institut Curie, Université PSL, CNRS UMR3215, INSERM U934 , Paris,
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Institute of Genetics and Biophysics · National Research Council
Affiliation as printed
Stem Cell Fate Laboratory, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati Traverso”, National Research Council , Naples,
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Affiliation as printed
The Francis Crick Institute , London,
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The University of Melbourne · Murdoch Children's Research Institute
Affiliation as printed
Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne , Parkville, VIC,
Stem Cell Ethics & Policy Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute , Parkville, VIC,
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University of Cambridge · The Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research
Affiliation as printed
Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge , Cambridge,
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Brigham and Women's Hospital · Harvard University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School , Boston, MA,
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital , Boston, MA,
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Development and Regeneration, Leuven Institute for Single Cell Omics (LISCO), KU Leuven , Leuven,
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Affiliation as printed
The Jackson Laboratory, Mammalian Genetics , Bar Harbor, ME,
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Zoology · State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing,
State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing,
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Karolinska University Hospital · Karolinska Institutet · Université de Montréal
Affiliation as printed
Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier, Université de Montréal , Montréal,
Department of Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm,
Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset , Stockholm,
Département de Médecine, Molecular Biology Programme, Université de Montréal , Montréal,
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Harvard University · Massachusetts General Hospital
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital , Charlestown, MA,
Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Applied Physics, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA,
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University of Toronto · Hospital for Sick Children · Gairdner Foundation
Affiliation as printed
The Gairdner Foundation and the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto , Toronto,
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Babraham Institute · Wellcome/MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute · University of Cambridge
Affiliation as printed
Babraham Institute (UK) Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute , Cambridge,
Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge , Cambridge,
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Kyoto University · Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University
Affiliation as printed
Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University , Sakyo-ku, Kyoto,
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University , Sakyo-ku, Kyoto,
Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University , Kyoto,
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Affiliation as printed
Research Group Genetics Reproduction and Development (GRAD), Vrije Universiteit Brussel , Brussels,
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Affiliation as printed
Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio Island , Guangzhou, Guangdong,
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Washington University in St. Louis
Affiliation as printed
Department of Developmental Biology and Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, MO,
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Affiliation as printed
Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research , Basel,
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The University of Texas at Austin
Affiliation as printed
Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX,
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · University of Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Zoology · State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology · Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine , Beijing,
Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing,
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing,
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Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Division of Developmental Biology, Center for Stem Cell & Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Cincinnati Children’s Hospital , Cincinnati, OH,
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The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas, TX,
Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas, TX,
Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas, TX,
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Chinese Academy of Sciences · University of Chinese Academy of Sciences · Institute of Zoology · State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology · Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine , Beijing,
Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing,
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing,
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