News

Researchers create human sperm using embryonic stem cells

BMJ 2009; 339 doi: 10.1136/bmj.b2790 (Published 9 July 2009)
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b2790

Access to the full text of this article requires a subscription or payment. Please log in or subscribe below.

  1. Susan Mayor
  1. 1London

    Researchers have created human sperm using embryonic stem cells for the first time, in research aiming to improve the understanding of male infertility and the transmission of genetic disorders.

    A team from the NorthEast England Stem Cell Institute developed the new technique, which enables human sperm cells to be produced in the laboratory. They used human embryonic stem cells with male and female chromosomes (XY and XX) to develop male germline stem cells. Only XY cells were then prompted to complete meiosis—cell division that halves the number of chromosomes. These cells then developed into fully mature, functional sperm, called in vitro derived sperm (IVD sperm) (Stem Cells and Development 2009;8 Jul online, doi:10.1089/scd.2009.0063)

    “While the full potential of the human embryonic stem cell derived sperm remains …

    Access to the full text of this article requires a subscription or payment

    Subscribe

    Article access

    Article access for 1 day

    Purchase this article for £20 $30 €32*

    The PDF version can be downloaded as your personal record

    * Prices do not include VAT

    Rapid responses

    THIS WEEK'S POLL

    BMJ most popular