Getting ready to grow "female spermatozoa"

A group of researchers from the University of Newcastle managed to obtain spermatozoa from stem cells of female embryos, the Telegraph reports (Sperm cells created from female embryo, 01/31/2008). The results of the experiment open the way to the development of artificial insemination techniques that do not require the participation of men.

Now the head of the research project, Professor Karim Nayerniya, is preparing an application for an experiment on the transformation of bone marrow cells of female donors into spermatozoa.

Since part of the genes controlling the process of spermatogenesis is located in the male sex chromosome, many experts have expressed doubt about the possibility of obtaining male sex cells from the cells of the female body. A new experiment proves that this is possible in principle.

In the future, "female" spermatozoa grown in the laboratory can be used for artificial insemination of eggs. In this case, the biological "father" of the resulting child will be a donor woman, from whose cells spermatozoa were obtained. However, scientists have not yet managed to obtain mature sperm cells from female cells capable of fertilizing an egg.

Recall that Professor Nyernia has a lot of high-profile and successful research in his track record. Last spring, his group received sperm precursor cells from male donor bone marrow cells. A year earlier, researchers managed to fertilize female mice with sperm grown from the bone marrow cells of male mice. As a result, the experimental animals brought viable offspring.  The report on the new study of Nyernia remains unpublished.

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Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru04.02.2008