Researchers at the Valence Institute in Spain and at the American University in Stanford, California, have announced succeeding in developing human spermatozoids from skin cells. This work was published April 26 in Scientific Reports, the online journal of the review Nature.
To obtain this result, adult skin cells were collected, and « reprogrammed » to become germ cells, then spermatozoids, using a cellular reprogramming technique called “IPS” developed by Yamanaka and John Gurdon, respectively Japanese and British Nobel Prize winners in Medicine in 2012.
The resulting spermatozoids are not yet able to fecundate. “It is a spermatozoid but it requires a supplementary maturation phase to become a gamete. It’s only the beginning”explained Carlos Simon, the scientific director for the Infertility Institute in Valence.
To carry on with these studies, the team plans to continue their research in Great Britain, since the following step, the creation of an “artificial embryo” is authorized in that country.
The objective of this technique is to overcome some forms of sterility. “This is the problem we intend to tackle: creating gametes for those who do not have any”, asserts the Spanish researcher. Other unprecedented possibilities are visible, such as creating embryos from the gametes of two individuals of the same sex.
Producing spermatozoids from various components is a challenge that numerous research teams in the world would like to meet. However, these techniques are raising serious ethical issues, since the result of such experiments is nothing less than the artificial creation of a new human being.
The possibility of ART not working ever was like a stab in my chest that wouldn't leave. That time around I was going at it with acupuncture, diet change, etc. I was blocking out the past failure and mc as much as possible. I had no words to help myself do that so unfortunately I had none understanding around me. However, I am here sharing my experience. All of us are always trying to have a normal daily life with these pressures breaking our backs. As I fill up my container of piles or load up my plate with veggies I am aware of who this is for and I still get excited. It is a strange this to be so excited and frightened at the same time. I don’t get to enjoy the experience. I am trying to love like I have never lost and go forward like this will work. I believe the majority does the same. I'm sorry the next and yet the next cycle failed..We went back home with bfn. But surrogacy gave us this last chance. I did manage to use own eggs for ivf. They matched us to a perfect surrogate I could hardly imagine to ever see a kind woman like her..Only positive experiences.
ReplyDelete'Why don't you want to have kids?' !!!! I've used to hear this seems thousands of times. From close relatives and friends. From coliques at work whom I started hating for that. I know people are just like they are. Some are sensitive, others not. Some pretending being inderstanding, others just are. I'm so tired of all those discussins people lead behind my back. (As if they know better how to cope with infertility!!) I'm really stressed people judge us having no idea how it really feels. This is so rude and unfair! Once I even regreted we were this open about our problems. But we've never thought people could be that cruel!I do understand every emotion you're feeling, hun. I know it hurts. And for those unkind to us - WE DO WANT our kids and the more the better. And think twice before judging us as one never knows who'll face infertility next!
DeleteWe all try all the possible routes out before moving to more invasive procedures. My sweet dr at biotexcom explaied a lot of useful things. Among those one of the ttc/pregnancy no-no. I believe, binge drinking while ttc does make getting pregnant more difficult. Among other things to avoid – smoking. Cigarette smoke is loaded with chemicals that, if you do smoke, can seriously interfere with your normal functioning, including damaging the genetic material in eggs and sperm. Then excess consumption of caffeine is linked not only to negative pregnancy outcomes, but to impaired fertility as well. Overcaffeination can prevent eggs from maturing properly. Another thing - big weight gains/ weight losses. Keeping your weight within a healthy range is important, but if you need to gain or lose weight, it’s better to do so in a drawn-out, balanced way, as opposed to gaining or losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time. Big swings in weight will inhibit normal hormone functioning, which could throw off your body’s ability to ovulate regularly, or at all. A couple of things more - bigger fish like shark, swordfish, and tilefish, among others, are high in the heavy metal mercury. Mercury can be devastating for a baby’s neurological development in the womb, so you should make sure that any fish you eat before or during pregnancy don’t contain high levels of it. Although it’s very important to get plenty of exercise when you’re trying to conceive or are pregnant, there is definitely a thing as too much. Overexercise or a lack of body fat can disrupt the body’s normal hormonal functioning, resulting in irregular or absent ovulations, so if your workouts are overly intense, you should check with your healthcare provider.
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