Sperm grown in a lab for the first time

Submitted by Matt on Sun, 2015-05-10 23:29

Story here. Excerpt:

'Sperm cells have been grown in the laboratory for the first time, scientists have claimed, raising the prospect of a treatment for infertile men.

A company in France claims to have successfully turned scraps of genetic material into complete fully-functioning sperm - a world-first.

If the breakthrough can be verified, it may prove life-changing for the tens of thousands of men around the world who cannot produce their own sperm.

The Kallistem laboratory, a private research facility based in Lyon, claimed it would be able to carry out human clinical trials within two years.

If commercialised, the firm hopes to treat 50,000 patients a year, a market it that could be worth £1.7 billion.

But the findings have not been published, peer reviewed or independently verified - and British experts last night were treating the claims with scepticism.

Kallistem said it had managed to transform basic male fertility cells, called spermatogonia, into mature sperm in test tubes.'

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