# A question about lab grown vaginas **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110 "2015-05-02T18:05:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dr\_zippermeyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dr\_zippermeyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dr_zippermeyer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/1 "2015-05-02T18:05:49Z")
It was recently announced scientists have learned to grow vaginas in laboratory, much like ears earlier. [http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25399-engineered-vaginas-grown-in-women-for-the-first-time.html#.VUUQgJOnDIU](http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25399-engineered-vaginas-grown-in-women-for-the-first-time.html#.VUUQgJOnDIU) Would it be possible to transplant one into someone’s hand? I’m asking for a friend. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/2 "2015-05-02T18:17:41Z")
Your _friend_ should want it implanted in his puenda area, that way he could make discreet use of it at any convenient moment, without having to whip anything out. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/3 "2015-05-02T18:28:04Z")
This will revolutionize the Fleshlight. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/4 "2015-05-02T18:33:36Z")
> [@dr\_zippermeyer](#): > > It was recently announced scientists have learned to grow vaginas in laboratory, much like ears earlier. [http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25399-engineered-vaginas-grown-in-women-for-the-first-time.html#.VUUQgJOnDIU](http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25399-engineered-vaginas-grown-in-women-for-the-first-time.html#.VUUQgJOnDIU) Of course, the young man from Nantucket would be in the market for one in his ear. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/5 "2015-05-02T20:09:09Z")
Good user handle/OP combo. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/6 "2015-05-02T20:14:11Z")
I think I’ll stick with the free range vaginas. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/7 "2015-05-02T20:46:32Z")
Fine post! Let me be the first to shake your hand. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/8 "2015-05-02T21:11:11Z")
> [@Tibby or Not Tibby](#): > > Fine post! Let me be the first to shake your hand. Wear gloves! Remember, practice safe greetings. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/9 "2015-05-02T21:24:43Z")
that could amount to the world’s best hand job. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/10 "2015-05-02T21:36:35Z")
This is amazing, if I am reading this correctly - vulva tissue was used to form a tube which was implanted into the correct position (no hands, sorry) and it then grew its own nerves and blood supply. My question over in GQ seemed to indicate that any given somatic stem cell (let alone a non-stem cell) could not be expected to generate that range of tissue types, let alone do so all by itself after implantation. I am impressed. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/11 "2015-05-02T21:49:22Z")
Alas, they will never be cost effective. Have you ever priced lab quality pedestals? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/12 "2015-05-02T22:13:16Z")
There’s been enough fuss on this board about handshake rape already, without this… ---
**Author:** ![dr\_zippermeyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dr\_zippermeyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dr_zippermeyer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/13 "2015-05-02T23:02:33Z")
Come on guys this was a serious question! To create a body part like that you need to use the cells of the recipient, isn’t it so? So if I - I mean my friend - is a male, could his cells to be guided to generate something like this? ---
**Author:** ![dr\_zippermeyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c0e974/32.png) [@dr\_zippermeyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dr_zippermeyer)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/14 "2015-05-03T12:27:09Z")
It seems they used cells from vulva (as usedtobe said) so it seems science is still not far enough for this. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/15 "2015-05-03T18:24:28Z")
> [@dr\_zippermeyer](#): > > Come on guys this was a serious question! > > To create a body part like that you need to use the cells of the recipient, isn’t it so? So if I - I mean my friend - is a male, could his cells to be guided to generate something like this? Males have all the genes necessary to produce female genitalia, even ovaries. Which kind of genitalia develop in an embryo is determined by which hormones and other factors are present during development. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/16 "2015-05-03T20:26:11Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Males have all the genes necessary to produce female genitalia, even ovaries. Which kind of genitalia develop in an embryo is determined by which hormones and other factors are present during development. Yes and no. A genetically male embryo that develops in the absence of testosterone (or one that is insensitive to testosterone, as in androgen insensitivity syndrome) will develop a typically female appearance, including female-looking external genitalia. However, the internal genitalia will not be typical - the uterus will usually be absent, the vaginal cavity may be unusually short or absent, and the gonads will be testes, not ovaries. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/17 "2015-05-03T20:45:39Z")
I remember seeing that on an episode of _Hugh Laurie Fakes an American Accent_. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/18 "2015-05-03T20:53:30Z")
Would it be even remotely possible _in nature_ for a ‘XX’ to come out as a fully functional male, or a ‘XY’ to develop as a fully functional female? It is my understanding that the chromosome structure was absolute, and that various conditions in the womb (an occupied uterus) could screw up the functionality, but the hardware was an unalterable. As in the genitalia comes out confused , and/or the individual is sterile. Correct? Then there is the issue of XXY and such. How’d THAT happen? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/19 "2015-05-03T21:04:08Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Would it be even remotely possible _in nature_ for a ‘XX’ to come out as a fully functional male, or a ‘XY’ to develop as a fully functional female? Define “functional”. If you mean “functional for sexual intercourse” yes, nature can produce XX males and XY females. _So far as we know_ such people are sterile, as their testes/ovaries never properly develop and in the case of XY females the uterus never develops. But since it is their sterility/lack of menstruation that typically brings them to the attention of medical people it is theoretically possible (even if, given our understanding, unlikely) that such a person could be fertile but never come to the attention of anyone checking chromosomes. Maybe. It’s possible. No known case on record. > [@](#): > > As in the genitalia comes out confused , and/or the individual is sterile. Correct? There are various disorders that can result in “confused” genitalia, but there are quite a few cases on record of XY women and a few XX men whose external genitalia, at least, are not the least bit “confused” and fully functional for intercourse. Indeed, before we could look at human chromosomes such people were simply sterile for no known reason. At a certain point it was noticed that some women simply lacked a uterus, but there was nothing there to indicate this person “should” have been male. Even less sign of something amiss with the men, they just didn’t have viable sperm, that’s all. > [@](#): > > Then there is the issue of XXY and such. How’d THAT happen? Well, obviously, either the egg or the sperm had two chromosomes instead of one. Reproduction is not perfect either on a cellular or macro level. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110/20 "2015-05-03T22:47:03Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > Yes and no. A genetically male embryo that develops in the absence of testosterone (or one that is insensitive to testosterone, as in androgen insensitivity syndrome) will develop a typically female appearance, including female-looking external genitalia. However, the internal genitalia will not be typical - the uterus will usually be absent, the vaginal cavity may be unusually short or absent, and the gonads will be testes, not ovaries. True, but my point was that a male has all the genes necessary to construct any part of the human body. While in nature an XY individual won’t develop an ovary, at least in theory his genes could be manipulated to produce one (although we’re far from being able to do that now). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-lab-grown-vaginas/719110.md?page=2)