Scientists Grow Sperm in Lab

photo: photo-dictionary.com

(Telegraph.co.uk) The development opens up the possibility of infertile men being able to father their own children rather than using donor sperm.

Researchers in Germany and Israel were able to grow mouse sperm from a few cells in a laboratory dish.
In a world first a team headed by Professor Stefan Schlatt, at Muenster University in Germany, were able to grow sperm by using germ cells. These are the cells in testicles that are responsible for sperm production.
Scientists grew the sperm by surrounding the germ cells in a special compound called agar jelly to create an environment similar to that found in testicles.

Prof. Mahmoud Huleihel, who also grew the sperm at Israel's Ben Gurion University in Beersheba, said: "I believe it will eventually be possible to routinely grow human male sperm to order by extracting tissue containing germ cells from a man's testicle and stimulating sperm production in the laboratory."

The findings of the sperm trial have been revealed in a major scientific journal published by Nature.
Now the scientists who made the discovery have begun experiments that will hopefully lead to the 'Holy Grail' - human sperm grown outside a man's body.

Stephen Gordon, a leading NHS male infertility consultant, praised the breakthrough.
He said:"This is an amazing development that could revolutionise fertility treatment and allow every man to be a natural father.

"Infertile men naturally want to be the father of their child but at present have to accept that can't happen. With the mouse discovery, that could now be a possibility."
Professor Richard Sharpe, one of the UK's top fertility scientists, based at Edinburgh University, who hopes to work on the project, said: "This is a significant step forward towards making human sperm."
The problem of male infertility has grown over the last 50 years and has been matched by huge decrease in sperm counts in men. Some of this has been attributed to environmental factors such as pollution and female hormones appearing in plastic packaging.

Mr Gordon, a urologist, who practises at Epsom Hopsital, Surrey, said: "Even with our latest microsurgical techniques there are still thousands of men - who are otherwise healthy -who can't naturally father babies and rely on sperm donation."

Read full story at The Telegraph...