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Professor Karim Nayernia. |
Scientists have for the first time demonstrated that sperm derived from stem cells can be used to create a new generation.
Professor Karim Nayernia and his team at Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany, extracted stem cells from a mouse embryo that was only a few days old and cultured these cells in the laboratory.
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The process of creating sperm in the laboratory. (Image: BBC) |
Using a specialized selection device, they isolated several stem cells that began to develop like sperm. The research team stimulated these cells to mature into sperm and injected some of this sperm into the eggs of female mice.
The fertilized eggs grew and were implanted back into the female mice, resulting in the birth of 7 baby mice.
“This is the first time we have created life using artificial sperm. This will help us better understand the process of sperm formation in men and why some individuals are unable to achieve this,” Professor Nayernia, who is currently working at Newcastle University in the UK, stated.
The research team believes that the findings in mice could also apply to humans, potentially assisting couples facing infertility issues due to male factors in having children.
Of the 7 baby mice created, 6 reached maturity. However, these mice exhibited abnormal development and encountered other issues, such as respiratory difficulties. In addition to safety concerns, the use of embryonic stem cells to create sperm raises ethical questions.
T. An
