"Immaculate Conception?" -Women May Soon Produce Their Own Sperm

Researchers have already produced early sperm cells from bone-marrow tissue taken from men. Scientists are now seeking ethical permission to produce synthetic sperm cells from a woman's bone marrow tissue. If approved, the move could allow women to produce their own sperm, a development that would enable lesbian couples to have their own biological children, according to a pioneering study published recently. Creating sperm from women would only allow women to produce daughters. In order to produce a son they would still need a Y chromosome of male sperm.

Professor Karim Nayernia of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne says, "The problem is whether the sperm cells are functional or not. I don't think there is an ethical barrier, so long as it's safe. We are in the process of applying for ethical approval. We are preparing now to apply to use the existing bone marrow stem cell bank here in Newcastle. We need permission from the patient who supplied the bone marrow, the ethics committee and the hospital itself."

Whether or not scientists will be able to develop the techniques needed for women to reproduce themselves will depend on future legislation that the Government is preparing as a replacement to the existing Human Fertilization and Embryology Act.

Last year, Professor Nayernia led scientists at the University of Gottingen in Germany who became the first to produce viable artificial sperm from mouse embryonic stem cells, which were used to produce seven live offspring.

This research also suggests that stem cells derived from human bone marrow may allow men (who cannot produce their own sperm naturally) have their own biological children with a female partner.

"We're very excited about this discovery, particularly as our earlier work in mice suggests that we could develop this work even further," Professor Nayernia said.

Posted by Rebecca Sato.*Research published in the journal Reproduction: Gamete Biology

Comments

[juantuffgai]

WHA-WHA-WHAT!!!

Ha, Got you worried, Juan? ; ) Casey

[handsomeboymodelingschool]

This article and the Bees article were both on last nights Colbert Report! I read it here and was telling my friends about this stuff at work and we all watch the Colbert Report at night so they all think I'm F-ing Sweet! Thanks G Dawg!

Rebecca Sato lives to scoop the Big Guys! ; )