Slashdot Mirror
Mouse Sperm Cells Grown In Vitro
smitty777 writes "In what is being hailed as a breakthrough in male infertility, researchers from Muenster and Ben Gurion Universities were able to actually grow mouse sperm cells in a petri dish. Researchers feel this is just a short step away from human in vitro sperm cell production. The details of how this will be accomplished are still being worked out. FTA: '[According to Professor Richard Sharpe], "What this research shows is that it will be possible to make human sperm outside the body. The germ cells just need the right environment. That's the tricky part getting them to think they are in the testes." Professor Sharpe believes that one novel way may make.it possible. He proposes using a live mouse as a "host" to make human sperm. He said: "What you would do is take some human testicular tissue with germ cells and place that under the skin of the mouse and use it to incubate the cells. You could then extract any sperm and use it in fertility treatment. But we would have to demonstrate that there were no mouse cells present in the extracted sperm if we were to use this technique and I believe that's possible."'"
All men will become obsolete, and militant feminists will rule the world!
news at 11
I can see them charging more based on what animal is used. "What? They're growing sperm in mice? We will grow your sperm in Lion testicles for the low price of $50,000."
-- IANAL, this isn't legal advice, and definitely isn't legal advice for you. Also, Squee!
Overpopulation is currently a bigger concern.
The last thing we need is more fertile males running around.
Give us abundant cheap energy and food replication!
Oh, and practical interstellar travel.
A man or a mouse?
. .
More research into expanding the food supply might be a better use of resources. Realistically doesn't this just make it more likely for people with defective genes to reproduce?
If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
Or perhaps why Mrs Little was so keen to adopt him.
I am a Statistician. One false move and you are a Statistic
So now they propose using mice as some sort of external testicles. (furry flesh bags used for containing and growing sperm). Small and portable enough to carry in a pocket, purse or such?
People used to tell me that my wife carried my balls in her handbag - this brings it closer to relaity.
. .
I think I prefer making my own sperm and children the old fashioned way, thanks.
I'm pretty sure you can get plenty of sperm for free from millions of sources. Many of them will pay you to take it.
It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
women don't have to put up with us anymore.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
So when do I get my genetically engineered mouse man slaves? I'm sure it'll be cheaper than hiring indians.
This signature has Super Cow Powers
but rather rats' balls..
btw, your balls are going to feel the same pain when kicked.
It sounds like Mickey Mouse science or maybe just mad science. Copyism?
And I wonder how far they will grow these new cells and if they will try to produce embryos from them.
It would definitely bring a new meaning to the question "are you man or mouse?"
I, for one, welcome our new mouse overlords.
I think one worry from this type of technique would be the inclusion of murine virion DNA. For example, the likely source of XMRV was due to infection of human cells passaged through mice (that's my understanding of the cause). No one wants to accidentally create a new retrovirus ...
Won't happen...
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
So could they manufacture sperm from women? Imagine the possibilities!
or else!
I propose we lock them in a bunker, feed them worms, and wait for them to rebel.
This signature has Super Cow Powers
Interstellar travel be damned, they promised me a flying car way before that!
I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
So then there will be no selection pressure for fertility anymore.... The author says male infertility is on the rise now, just wait until this has been a common practice for about 10 generations or so. I think modern medicine is great and wouldn't trade it for the world but it's going to really trash our evolution. If this trend continues genetically engineered humans aren't going to be a controversial choice they are going to be a necessity. We will need to fix all the bad genes that are no longer selected against.
Women are great. I have no problem with women. But for goodness sake, I've had enough of this ridiculous female chauvinism that dominates our society today.
Men are awesome. Even in this world where all the rules have been skewed in favor of women (women get better grades and graduate high school, attend college, and get degrees at higher rates than men) men are still disproportionately represented at the highest levels in most challenging creative endeavors. Look around you. See all that stuff (electronics, furniture, buildings)? It was predominantly invented, designed, and produced by men. Go to any (co-ed) college and walk through their chemistry, physics, engineering, and CS departments. What will you see? Mostly men. Look at the top of best sellers lists and music charts: a lot of men still showing up there. Cutting edge graphic designers, architects, film producers, etc.? Men are still disproportionately represented here too.
Certainly women are capable of doing these things. The knack for these skills and the inclination to pursue them seem to be less common in women though. As much as the world has changed, as much as opportunities for women have expanded, men are still the providers. Sure women bring home income, but the people who invent, design, build, and run the machines that feed us, clothe us, shelter us, protect us, and even entertain us, are mostly still men.
I don't think this will ever change. Women tend to excel in interacting with the social environment and men tend to excel in interacting with the physical environment. As technology and science have allowed us to triumph over the physical forces that threaten us, the apparent importance of masculine skills has diminished. The physical environment and physical threats to our well being are held at bay and cordoned off so that we need hardly be aware of their existence. This leaves us in a primarily social world. Our homes, our schools, our workplaces are primarily social gatherings. In these spaces the tendency for women to excel socially makes them the dominant sex. The areas of male excellence are relegated to workshops, computer labs, offices, and obscure blackboards and conference rooms. Most people are largely oblivious to what happens in these places, while everyone shares our social venues.
I would wager that ninety years from now people will look back on the 21st century and find that men were, once again, primarily responsible for the expansion of human achievement vis-a-vis the physical world. They will have received of most of the Nobel prizes. They will have designed of most of the structures. They will have invented most of the innovations that improved our lives. They will have programmed most of the computers.
Are men obsolete? In so far as food, clothing, shelter, and protection are obsolete; in so far as invention and scientific and technological progress are obsolete; in so far as the production of things, ideas, and novel cultural content are no longer valid ways to contribute to human society; yes.
If your body fails to produce sperm and does not have the ability to transmit it properly to a female host then MAYBE you shouldn't be having children?
Right. Because one specific defect automatically means you have no useful genetic characteristics.
upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time
I don't know about that one... If the fact we don't reproduce in our old age is the reason evolution doesn't select genes to give us longer lifespans then maybe having kids at an older age is a good thing.
Actually, that rule has worked well for billions of years.
For a definition of "well" that does not include tools or complex societies.
upon the advice of my lawyer, i have no sig at this time