Stem cell against infertility: research

Stem cell against infertility: research

The work readies the ground for tentative attempts to grow fully functioning human sperm from scratch, a technique that - if proved safe - has the potential to help treat male infertility, Guardian Unlimited reports.

The experiment was carried out using mice and produced seven babies, six of which lived to adulthood.

However, the mice showed abnormal patterns of growth, and other problems, such as difficulty breathing, according to BBC News.

Stem cells are special because they have the potential to develop into any tissue in the body.

In the future, men with fertility problems might be able to have their own stem cells harvested using a simple testicular biopsy, matured in the lab and then transplanted back.