Why can't two men or two women have a child together?

Question

I'm NOT asking your opinion as to whether it would be right or wrong. This question has nothing to do with any associated ethical or moral issues. This is a pure science question.

If scientists and doctors can do in vitro fertilization with an egg and a sperm, why can't they do it with two sperm or two eggs? Why can't they take the nucleus out of the egg of one woman, and then put it directly into another egg from another woman? Wouldn't it have the same effect as injecting a sperm into an egg? What about removing the nucleus from a donor egg, then replacing it with the nucleus of a sperm from one man, and then fertilizing the resulting egg with the sperm of another man?

Would this work? What factors would make this impossible? Is it possible and it just hasen't been done yet? Has it been done yet, and I just haven't heard about it?

I want educated answers please. Thank you.

In response to the first answer, there are in fact plenty of hybrid fruits.

and,

1/2 plus 1/2 equals 1, right? And they would still be complementary halves.

Who's to say the other half doesn't fit? It's still 23 plus 23 (each pairing with its complement). Since when did it take an exact fit for two chromosomes to be paired next to each other? The chromosomes don't do some marvelous magical interaction that can only be done if one is from a female and one is from a male. A chromosome is a chromosome is a chromosome....get my point?

Answer 1

If two women were to harvest their eggs, what would be the fertileizing sperm factor? This is to say that you wanted it strictly to be the two eggs of the women so that they could say that the child they concieved did, in fact, belong solely to them.

The same goes for the sperm. Two men harvesting their sperm would have no egg to inseminate, thus leaving the sperm with no place to go to begin creating life.

You cannot replace the nucleus of either an egg or sperm without altering the genitic make up of the original cells entirely.

The closest you could possibly come would be two women harvesting their eggs together, then implanting all the harvested eggs into one of the women WITH another man's sperm using invitro fertilization. In that case, the baby would still have the genetic contribution from a male.

You cannot just have two eggs to make a baby; likewise, you cannot have two sperm to make a baby.

It wouldn't work. It hasn't worked. I'm sure that people have theorized like you have here and proved themselves wrong in labratory testing.

It's like taking two batteries for your game boy and trying to put them in positive sides alike (or negative for the pessimistic in you). It won't work. You can't have two positives or two negatives work together. Impossible!

Sorry to disappoint you.

Answer 2

Interesting question.
Theoretically it is possible, you are right: 1/2 + 1/2 = 1.
But, few things should be considered.
One: you need an egg to be hatched from.
Second: you need at least one X chromosome (two sperms may not have one...)
Third (most important): by no means should you believe that all that defines you resides in your cell nuclei. :) A part of your genes is outside of your nucleus, a very important one - mitochondrial DNA. Very important. Also, the cytoplasm is filled with structures: scaffolds that are ready for the creation of a complex being. If you take out a nucleus and insert a new one, you may damage the intimate crosstalk between nucleus and cytoplasm. This may lead to serious problems in development.
So, in summary:
you need at least one woman for an offspring (egg). The rest is up to you, but I recommend the traditional way, it is much more fun! ;)

Answer 3

Although, 1/2 and 1/2 equals 1, you can't add 1/2 and 1/2 of the same thing. Granted, the DNA is different but to create a human it needs the sperm AND egg. Why can't 2 halves of different eggs/sperm create a baby? Simple, it's just not made too.

Answer 4

Perhaps the following link will help with this question..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1431489.stm

As a summary.. it has been found that a woman's egg can be fertilised with other body tissue... so in theory... two eggs could possibly create a baby.... I can't wait until they find a way to use the XY chromosomes in men to create a child... as a thought is seems easy as pie... I think all these people saying it isn't possible are idiots... btw...

Answer 5

Even a worm has both male & female productive parts. 1/2 & 1/2 of something does not make a whole, if the other 1/2 does not fit. God made Adam & Eve, to complete each other.

And besides, if there was such a thing as what you say - then we'd just take ourselves out of being human completely. Humans & creatures of life are made to live, love, and have children from the opposite sex.

Answer 6

uh...it doesn't work like that. I think the male gamete (sperm) has 1/2 the dna and the egg cell has the other half. You need one of each for it to match up correctly. I think the scenario you propose would be like asking if you can create one fruit by smashing half an apple and half an orange together. They aren't compatable.

Answer 7

the two girls thing thats not going to happen because you need sperm to fertilize the eggs and the two guys thing is you need an egg the only option these two couples have together is one girl getting with one guy and getting knocked up and the other two hooking up.....one couple keeping one baby and the other keeping the other!

Answer 8

It's impossible and it will never happen unless a man does it with a woman or a woman does it with a man.

Answer 9

In response to your question, it is something being researched now but it is technologically impossible at this point in time. The process needed to make this technology successful is something similar to what has been used in cloning, however I am woefully inept in explaining this in scientific terms so here is a website about it:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1589/is_2002_March_19/ai_83667580

Answer 10

Why don't we take the motor out of a blender and put it in a car. Wouldn't that work?