A new milestone in science has reached the laboratories, and although there is time to refine the results, a great controversy (and great skepticism) has been raised about it. A team of British scientists claims to have created human sperm in the laboratory for the first time.
The scientists began their work with embryonic stem cells from donated human embryos after fertility treatments. The cells were stored in liquid nitrogen tanks and then placed at the temperature of the human body and introduced into a chemical mixture to favor their growth.
The scientists then "tagged" them with a genetic marker, which allowed them to identify and separate the so-called germline cells. These become gametes (ovules and sperm) once the process of cell division known as meiosis is completed.
In the case at hand, the stem cells with the XY chromosomes (male) concluded meiosis, becoming sperm.
The creation and development of sperm lasted between four and six weeks, and according to the team of researchers, although it is mature and mobile sperm, it must be at least five years before the technique they have used to create it is perfected.
What can this technique be for? Although there are those who want to see the end of the participation of man in the process of reproductionRather, the researchers point out that this creation will serve to study in detail how sperm is formed and will lead to a better understanding of male sterility. They claim that, in the future, their work could help men who have trouble having children.
Of course, voices have also been raised against this technique because it uses viable embryos to create laboratory sperm which, at the moment, has no functionality. We will have to wait to see how this research space evolves.
