Scientists claim to have created human sperm

The research team believes that this can eventually help men with fertility problems conceive.

“This is an important development as it will allow researchers to study in detail how sperm forms and lead to a better understanding of infertility in men - why it happens and what is causing it.

"This understanding could help us develop new ways to help couples suffering infertility so they can have a child which is genetically their own,” said Newcastle lead research Karim Nayernia in a statement on Wednesday.

Story of the sperm
The scientists started the research by using stem cells which were derived from human embryos, donated after In vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.

The stem cells were removed once the embryo was a few days old, and were later stored in tanks of liquid nitrogen.

These cells were then brought to the body temperature and put in a chemical mixture for growing. They were "tagged" using a genetic marker enabling the researchers to identify and separate the "germline" stem cells, from which eggs and sperm were developed.

The research confirmed that the sperm were fully matured and mobile. They even produced a video to back up their research.

"It will also allow scientists to study how cells involved in reproduction are affected by toxins, for example, why young boys with leukaemia who undergo chemotherapy can become infertile for life - and possibly lead us to a solution," added Professor Nayernia.

However, she stressed the researchers had no intention of "producing human life in a dish".

Doubts raised about research’s achievement
But some experts have questioned this study’s possible development. They are not convinced that fully developed sperm cells have been created and that such cells are normal.

Said Dr. Allan Pacey, a sperm biologist at the University of Sheffield, "The quality of the images is not of sufficiently high resolution and I would need more data. They are early sperm, but functional tests would be needed to know exactly what has been achieved."

This research also raises some ethical issues. Josephine Quintavalle from Comment on Reproductive Ethics (Corethics) 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 perhaps create another. I'm very much in favor of curing infertility but I don't think you can do whatever you like."