If confirmed, this is a world first that offers hope
to infertile men to have more children one day thanks to reproductive health.
For the first time, complete human sperm would have been obtained by culturing
in vitro cells taken in the testes of men unable to produce naturally.
In healthy men, these stem cells, called spermatogonia
produce male gametes after a differentiation process which takes 72 days. A
process called spermatogenesis, that biologists have been trying for fifteen
years to reproduce in the laboratory.
But so far, rather than full sperm, they had managed
to get the abnormal form gametes, headless or without flagella (the
"tail" that allows them to swim to the egg).
A SECRET TECHNIQUE OF CELL THERAPY HAS
ACHIEVED COMPLETE SPERM
This is now done! In any case, this announcement was
made this morning startups Kallistem, after the Institute of Functional Genomics
of Lyon . At the origin of this biological feat,
researchers Philippe Durand (director Kallistem) and Marie-Hélène Perrard (CNRS
and Kallistem), in collaboration with engineering polymer materials Laurent
David (professor at the University Claude Bernard).
How
do they do it? Only available the
information provided by the company because no scientific studies detailing
these results has been posted yet. Kallistem
has developed a cell therapy device called Artistem, patent protected since
late June.
IN THE BIOREACTOR, SPERMATOGENESIS IS
REPRODUCED AS IN THE HUMAN BODY
This
is a "bioreactor", a tube of flexible polymer of a centimeter in
diameter, filled with a hydrogel containing water and chitosan - a substance
obtained from chitin, which comprises the exoskeleton of crustaceans.
In this bioreactor,
biologists are inserting collected tissue in the testes, called seminiferous
tubules: this is where spermatogonia develop into sperm. To reproduce this natural process, it
ensures that the architecture of the seminiferous tubules, crowded against each
other, be maintained as in the human body.
After
72 days incubation at 33 ° C and in a suitable culture medium at a pH of 7.2 to
7.4, spermatogenesis is complete and sperm were formed.
MANY TESTS ARE NEEDED
But beware: before
declaring victory, it will prove that sperm grown and are functional -qu'ils
manage to fertilize an egg - and they are used to generate embryos and healthy babies.
therefore
the tests will start, first on rodents, then on human gametes to check these
two crucial points. Then the
company will begin clinical research by testing with men suffering from
infertility.
THE IN VITRO SPERMATOGENESIS WOULD BE A
SOLUTION FOR INFERTILITY CASES SO FAR WITHOUT MEDICAL ISSUE
If this technique passes
the tests, spermatogenesis in vitro provide a solution to all men unable
to conceive by natural means, but have spermatogonia. They are 120,000 in the world to be
affected by infertility that technology does not allow for the time to resolve.
Furthermore,
this technique could help the boys undergoing chemotherapy to cancer before the
age of puberty, so before their testicles do not develop. From fabrics to their testicles, sperm
could be grown and then frozen to perform in vitro fertilization later. More than 15 000 children worldwide
affected by his chemotherapy that damages their testicles.
Well, I've heard sth of this kind earlier. But never thought it was true. They told, if you want to have the best chance at pregnancy, try conceiving in the winter months. Sperm are produced in larger numbers and swim faster in winter compared to the remaining three seasons. Sounds ridiculous, isn't it? If no research study provided..Nature creates miracles..
ReplyDeleteAfter numerous failures with the previous clinic we almost signed on with an adoption agency. I began to feel much more comfortable with that route. I could envision us happy. I could see us raising a kid. I felt a sense of excitement. We would still have a family, we would be helping a child in need. However, my dh did not feel the same. He worried about taking a child from a women who, if provided resources, could have a chance at doing alright. I always saw adoption at stepping in to help. He felt that help could come in other forms to keep mom and baby together. I never thought of it that way and then shared his concerns absolutely. That's why another ivf shot with oe or de at our new biotexcom clinic makes more sense. It makes more senses!! Dh has always been a rock of support for me. It was not easy at times but I'm blessed to have him by my side. It's also important for an intended father not to feel ouside the game. So that I'd recommend ladies to have their sweethearts for help and support at each stage of the treatments. They should know they're needed. They must be involved into the process too!
ReplyDeleteInfertility has become a major health issue in the world. It affects the social life of couples and of all infertility cases. Approximately half of cases is due to “male factor” infertility. Male infertility could be due to genetic factors, environment or some sort of treatments. Developments in reproductive biotechnology have made it possible to rescue fertility and uphold biological fatherhood. In vitro production of male germ cell is a powerful tool. Furthermore, this technique with editing may be used to prevent paternal transmission of genomic diseases.
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