Research brings infertility treatment a step closer
Source: Agencies |
August 8, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
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A TEAM of Japanese scientists has reported producing viable sperm using the stem cells of mice in an experiment that researchers hope could one day lead to a treatment for infertile men.
Kyoto University researchers managed to induce mice stem cells to creating sperm precursors, which were transplanted into infertile male mice. The mice then produced sperm that was successfully used to fertilize eggs in a lab dish.
The offspring were healthy and fertile, according to a paper published last week in the scientific journal Cell.
Members of the research team, led by Mitinori Saitou, said they believe their success may help in the development of infertility treatments in humans, although they said many hurdles remain.
"We have high hopes, but it is not that easy," Saitou told The Associated Press. "There are many difficult issues ahead in applying this to humans. But it is a first step."
Experts outside the group say it is an important step toward infertility treatment for people, although there is still much work to do.
Toshio Suda, developmental biology professor at Keio University, said: "This is a very good experiment for thinking about treatment of infertile men, but there is a very, very long way to go."
He said the Kyoto team's findings are good foundational work but it is currently not easy to engineer mature sperm cells.
If certain hurdles are cleared, the research could identify "which gene is important to the preparation of the sperm."
Kyoto University researchers managed to induce mice stem cells to creating sperm precursors, which were transplanted into infertile male mice. The mice then produced sperm that was successfully used to fertilize eggs in a lab dish.
The offspring were healthy and fertile, according to a paper published last week in the scientific journal Cell.
Members of the research team, led by Mitinori Saitou, said they believe their success may help in the development of infertility treatments in humans, although they said many hurdles remain.
"We have high hopes, but it is not that easy," Saitou told The Associated Press. "There are many difficult issues ahead in applying this to humans. But it is a first step."
Experts outside the group say it is an important step toward infertility treatment for people, although there is still much work to do.
Toshio Suda, developmental biology professor at Keio University, said: "This is a very good experiment for thinking about treatment of infertile men, but there is a very, very long way to go."
He said the Kyoto team's findings are good foundational work but it is currently not easy to engineer mature sperm cells.
If certain hurdles are cleared, the research could identify "which gene is important to the preparation of the sperm."
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