A team of British scientists claim to have achieved a world first by creating human sperm in a laboratory. The researchers believe it could eventually help men with fertility problems to conceive. But other experts have questioned the breakthrough. Skys health correspondent Thomas Moore reports.
Via AMB
The correspondent doesn’t seem to fully understand the process here — he’s saying that this breakthrough would technically mean that men aren’t needed for reproduction, and that reproduction without a male contributor would cause genetic problems. Both assumptions are wrong.
If these were truly artificial sperm, he’d be right on the first assumption. Unfortunately, though, they’re not. They’ve been grown in the lab, but they were based from embryonic stem cells that were already defined into eventually becoming sperm cells. I could conceivably see the embryo being a clone of the affected male (lot of trouble to go through, though — create a viable clone, harvest cells, then grow those into sperm), but wherever it’s from, it’s still an XY embryo. I don’t know whether it’s possible for now to artificially induce XX stem cells into defining to become sperm. If so, that would make the statement true — but that’s not what this experiment was about at all.
The second assumption is that female-female reproduction would cause genetic problems. Apart from only creating female offspring (all X chromosomes), I don’t see it. The genetic problems in species that reproduce asexually aren’t caused by the fact that all offspring is female — they’re caused by the fact that they’re all clones, i.e. there’s no genetic recombination to dilute defects and speed up evolution. If a female’s DNA were used to create sperm cells to fertilize another female’s egg, there’d still be recombination.
Hmm…,interesting…it is probably only forbidden because of the angst of the mad-scientist who might create a Victor Frankenstein….
There are highly likely many solutions based in using embrionic stem cells though…
This is amazing… We could make artificial humans and stuff. SCARY! “Brains, BRAINS!!!!” haha
I knew the day would come when women take over now all they need to do is build an army of genetically enhanced women and call them weapon xx they no longer need us to reproduce sniff no sex for us lol
Don’t worry Scott, there’ll still be some of us who like cock.
Someone overhere just told me that they previously created mouse sperm the same way. After bringing it into an egg cell development started. Eventually they ended with a “normal”looking mouse, but way smaller and it died quite soon. So why they now already started doing the same with human stem cells if it already has been proven that it needs a whole lot of work … if it is even possible to create healthy sperm.
Ofcourse it would have its good sides .. if they good develop sperm this way. No doubt about that.
But most men prefer the deed .. if they are fertile .. to get their female pregnants. To perfect normal health sperm … to create super babies … but ofcourse it takes a perfect ovum as well …
Maybe they can work a bit more on making teeth grow back again … I’d find that a very usefull thing …
or erm .. perfect metabolism (meaning able to eat anything whenever you feel like it without gaining weight and without a change in being (well, more happy perhaps .. ahaha .. eat yourself now and then through boredom without ever having to restrict yourself … dope yourself when necessary with food … but maintaining a healthy energetic body and mind … )
Stem cells … are we on to the new throw away society in medical science … (if you take it up a little further .. well .. renewing body parts or complete bodies whenever necessary or wanted … (so apart from the more usefull goals .. the cosmetic goal … eternal youth … ehehe … )). If you think of it … you would wonder .. WHY would we want that .. it gets kinda boring after a while I’d say …
Maybe they can add another flavour?????? Ehehe … Sell it in a spray can … nice for parties … safe parties I mean …
I wonder … who would be willing to be the first inseminated with this sperm … and at what risk for the newborn … Why can’t those guys just agree with a donor … geeeezzz … most dont want their own genes back in their face anyhow from the childeren …. dont know how fast they need to depress/supress them …
The neverending drive … curiousity … but to what price?
It has been proved that human sperms can be produced from stem cells. Stem cells have the ability to transform into any cell in the body. It would be effective treatments for male infertility.
Does that mean that, if we find out we could combine different cells and create a new life form that the ´´chicken or egg´´ mystery is kind of solved?