The researchers said that most attempts to culture mammalian sperm have been made using what they call “two-dimensional” cell culture systems, where the cells are essentially grown on a flat surface. In this experiment they used a “three-dimensional” culture system using a soft agar jelly, called SACS. They said that this is more representative of the natural environment which germ cells are exposed to within the testes.
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Microscopic analysis revealed “normal-looking” sperm in 11 out of the 16 samples grown for 30 days in the culture. The researchers found only a few normal-looking sperm developed in each sample. From each sample of 10 million testicular cells, only an average of around 16 normal-looking sperm develo
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This study has shown that, under the right environmental conditions, it is possible to grow normal-looking mouse sperm from immature testes cells in the lab. There are some limitations to note; in particular, the researchers point out that they were unable to isolate the live sperm produced using this method and therefore could not test whether they were able to fertilise eggs. In addition, although these sperm cells looked normal, the researchers could not assess their movement and did not carry out an in-depth assessment of whether the cells were genetically normal.
Although this development is of interest, a lot more research will be needed to determine whether this method provides a viable way of producing functioning, normal sperm in the laboratory. It will need to be perfected on mice first before being tested using human cells. Scientists do not yet know whether adult human testicular cells isolated and cultured in the laboratory would behave in the same way as testicular cells taken from immature mice.
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/01January/Pages/scientists-grow-mature-sperm-in-lab.aspx
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