Scientists in Melbourne have created human embryos from skin cells.
The Monash University led-team re-programed skin cells into three-dimensional structures similar to the early stages of human embryos.
Lead researched Jose Polo said the breakthrough will allow research into infertility, miscarriages and congenital diseases without having to use human embryos.
Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute head John Carroll said while the breakthrough has raised some ethical concerns, the embryos are not viable.
"It is a question that needs to be looked at, but this is really an in vitro model. It doesn’t really develop past day 10 or 11 of normal development in the lab," Professor Carrol said.
"I think what it does is provides us with this avenue into medical advances, and, you know, there are strong, strong globally applied ethical frameworks and regulation, legislation that really stops anything going too far with human material," he said.