Hope and fear as tourists trickle back to Kashmir town after attack    Spain and Portugal scramble to restore power as officials chase cause of outage    Israel spy chief to step down after row with Netanyahu exposes deepening rifts    Saudi, Omani foreign ministers visit Rub' Al-Khali border crossing    From his own resources... Luminous lessons in leadership and humanity    Commerce Ministry recalls 6,500 Genesis cars due to risk of fire    Royal Institute of Traditional Arts implements Saudi-Chinese cultural exchange program    Localization in Saudi military industries rises to 19.35%    Logistics park for vehicles worth SR300 million to be set up at Dammam port    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Prince Sultan University launches first bachelor's program in language and media    Putin announces three-day Russian ceasefire in Ukraine from 8 May    Al-Falih: Eastern Province hosts 700 investment opportunities worth SR330 billion    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



British researchers claim breakthrough in sperm science
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 08 - 07 - 2009

Scientists in Britain have claimed a breakthrough that could end male infertility by creating human sperm in the laboratory, according to a report in the journal Stem Cells and
Development, dpa reported.
But other experts immediately cast doubt on the claim, saying that
the cells did not constitute "authentic" sperm with all the necessary
biological characteristics.
Researchers at Newcastle University in northern England said they
had produced fully mature, functional cells, grown from stem cells
from a male embryo, which they call In-Vitro Derived (IVD) sperm.
Professor Karim Nayernia, who led the research at Newcastle
University and the NorthEast England Stem Cell Institute (Nesci),
said the cells were observed "to split and divide and then eventually
push out a tail and begin to move."
"This understanding could help us develop new ways to help couples
suffering infertility so they can have a child which is genetically
their own," he wrote.
Nayernia had previously undertaken similar research at Goettingen
university in Germany, where stem cell experiments are illegal, as
they are in Britain. He called for the introduction of laws in
Britain "sooner rather than later" to control the research.
Nayernia stressed that the scientists had made no attempt to
fertilize human eggs with the sperm, but insisted that the
development would lead to a better understanding of why infertility
happened in men, and what caused it.
The scientists said as well as being prohibited by British law,
fertilization of human eggs and implantation of embryos would hold no
scientific merit for them as they wanted to study the process as a
model for research.
"While we can understand that some people may have concerns, this
does not mean that humans can be produced 'in a dish' and we have no
intention of doing this," said Nayernia.
The team also believes that studying the process of forming sperm
could lead to a better understanding of how genetic diseases are
passed on.
The technique developed at Newcastle involved prompting embryonic
stem cells to become "germline" stem cells - cells that can pass
their genetic material to future generations.
Nayernia said the research was in its early stages and more
investigation was needed to decide whether IVD sperm would be safe or
suitable as a fertility treatment.
He believed that in a decade such a treatment could be offered to,
for example, young boys who had received chemotherapy which can leave
them infertile.
However, other experts commenting on the work expressed doubt
about what had been achieved.
Allen Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of
Sheffield, said: "As a sperm biologist of 20 years' experience, I am
unconvinced from the data presented in this paper that the cells
produced ... can be accurately called 'spermatozoa'."
Professor Azim Surani, from Cambridge University, added: "These
sperm-like cells made in a dish from embryonic stem cells are a long
way from being authentic sperm cells."
Criticism of the research also came from ethical campaigners.
The group Comment on Reproductive Ethics said: "This is an example
of immoral madness. Perfectly viable human embryos have been
destroyed in order to create sperm over which there will be huge
questions of their healthiness and viability. It's taking one life in
order to create another."


Clic here to read the story from its source.