Every person has two copies of each of 23 chromosome (which holds the DNA). One inherited from the mother and one from the father. Now if you inserted a full set of both into one egg you would have the DNA of two people. It wouldn't separate though and you would get a foetus with double the amount of DNA in each cell - which would not survive.
There are several genetic diseases caused by too many chromosomes down syndrome for example is caused by trisomy (having three copies) of chromosome 21. Duplication of most of the other chromosomes prevent development.
However if you wanted you could use the DNA from the parents gametes (sperm and ovum). The gametes only have one copy of each chromosome and so you would get the normal full compliment of 46 chromosomes.
Alternatively if you take an egg that has divided into two cells (the very beginning of development) and replace the DNA of each cell with the DNA from one parent then you would have a child with 50% of his cells identical to one parent and 50% to the other. In theory, whether the child is likely to survive to full term I don't know.
The first option is far more likely to actually be used I think they can do something similar already (although not with humans yet), and might at some point become an option for same sex couples for example.
no subject
There are several genetic diseases caused by too many chromosomes down syndrome for example is caused by trisomy (having three copies) of chromosome 21. Duplication of most of the other chromosomes prevent development.
However if you wanted you could use the DNA from the parents gametes (sperm and ovum). The gametes only have one copy of each chromosome and so you would get the normal full compliment of 46 chromosomes.
Alternatively if you take an egg that has divided into two cells (the very beginning of development) and replace the DNA of each cell with the DNA from one parent then you would have a child with 50% of his cells identical to one parent and 50% to the other. In theory, whether the child is likely to survive to full term I don't know.
The first option is far more likely to actually be used I think they can do something similar already (although not with humans yet), and might at some point become an option for same sex couples for example.