ABSTRACT
The ability to produce mature in vitro-derived gametes, either starting from immature gametes or obtaining them from alternative sources such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs), would allow insights into the basic science of oogenesis, folliculogenesis, and meiosis and may also offer the potential for new assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs). Gametes derived in this way have been described as “artificial gametes,” and if they are shown to be safe, they would alleviate the need for donor eggs and sperm and would provide people who cannot produce mature gametes with the possibility of genetically related children. This chapter will cover the progress in producing so-called “artificial oocytes” from a range of cell types and will consider the technology of growing oocytes in vitro from the most immature stages to maturity.
