A private laboratory in France claims they have created “fully functioning” sperm out of scrap genetic material. The researchers say they plan to carry out human trials within the next two years and that the findings could be used as a treatment for men suffering from infertility.
The New York Post reports that Kallistem lab in France has done something that other scientists have been attempting for 15 years. The lab was able to create functioning semen out of genetic material from testicular biopsies.
“At the end of 2014 the company was able to produce fully formed human spermatozoa in the laboratory setting, using patient testicular biopsies containing only immature germ cells, or spermatogonia.”
RFI notes that the researchers from the project plan to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal sometime after June 23. For now, the findings have only been confirmed by scientists working on the project and not outside parties. Therefore, scientists outside of the project caution the research to be taken with a grain of salt until the findings have been reviewed by peers.
Professor Israel Nisand, co-founder of the European Bioethics Forum, notes that if the findings are found to be accurate, the research could pave the way to effective treatments for male infertility. Nisand says that the lab-created sperm would be a “considerable step forward” for infertility treatment.
“If this is true, it is a considerable step forward in treating male sterility.”
If the research is proven, the infertility treatment would utilize genetic material obtained from biopsies of infertile men to create the sperm in a lab. The study suggests that it would take 72 days for the cells to develop into fully functioning sperm. At that point, the sperm could be cryopreserved until the man was ready to have a child.
Kallistem labs says they will hold off on pre-clinical human trials until 2016 and will then hold clinical trials in 2017. If the trials go as planned, the lab-produced sperm procedure could make its way to fertility treatment clinics across the nation. The financial outlook for the labs if the procedure is approved is bright. It is expected that the market for the male infertility treatment could be worth more than $2.58 billion.
Prior to the claims by Kallistem labs of creating functioning human semen from genetic material, the feat was only accomplished in lab mice. What do you think about the prospect of creating sperm from genetic material of otherwise sterile men?
[Image Credit: WikiMedia Creative Commons]
Scientists Grow ‘Fully Functioning’ Sperm In A Lab For The First Time, Could Help Male Infertility is an article from: The Inquisitr News
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