Sperm Created From Bone Marrow

[freeztar]

Scientists say they have successfully made immature sperm cells from human bone marrow samples.

 

If these can be grown into fully developed sperm, which the researchers hope to do within five years, they may be useful in fertility treatments.

 

But experts have warned the findings from the German study should be interpreted with caution at this very early stage.

 

And proposed new laws would ban their use in fertility treatments in the UK.

BBC NEWS | Health | Sperm made from human bone marrow

[CraigD]

Though preliminary, this research represents, IMHO, some amazing progress in understanding and manipulating adult stem cells.

 

I was surprised to read that the UK is considering a law banning the use of therapies resulting from this research to treat male infertility, such as can result from cancer chemotherapy or surgery that removes the testes. I’m familiar with arguments in the US against such therapies as In vitro fertilisation on the grounds that they involve destroying fertilized human ova, but wouldn’t expect objections of this kind to a therapy that allows an infertile man to produce viable sperm from his own extracted marrow cells.

[ronthepon]

Politics does get seriously in the way of useful science at times. How pessimistic do you have to be to expect the severe form of misuse at this early stage?

[Michaelangelica]

So,

"Give the dog a bone?"

 

Sorry about the knuckle scraping; it was not me it was my Alter Ego!