Three main techniques for creating IVD (In vitro derived) gametes have been described in the literature. The primary difference among these techniques relates to the source of stem cells used to derive the IVD gametes. These sources include
- induced pluripotent stem cells
- embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from cloned embryos
- ESCs from in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos.
Creating IVD gametes from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) involves genetically reprogramming a somatic cell (e.g. skin cell) from one of the prospective parents to become iPSCs, and differentiating these iPSCs into IVD gametes, which can be combined with other IVD gametes (or non‐IVD gametes) in vitro. IVD gametes can also be created from ESCs taken from cloned embryos created using somatic cell nuclear transfer
Finally, IVD gametes can be derived from ESCs taken from embryos created through IVF. This approach avoids some of the technical challenges associated with the other two methods. The IVD gamete from one prospective parent would be combined in vitro with a non‐IVD gamete from the other prospective parent.