BGU researchers make breakthrough in the field of male fertility
Successfully generate mouse sperm in vitro
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Prof. Mahmoud Huleihel and his research group have achieved a breakthrough in male fertility. In an article just published in the Asian Journal of Andrology, Huleihel, of the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Faculty of Health Sciences, outlines the generation of spermatozoa from mouse testicular germ cells under in vitro culture.
“This study may open new therapeutic strategies for infertile men who cannot generate sperm and/or prepubertal cancer patients at risk of infertility due to aggressive chemo- or radiotherapy, and cannot cryopreserve sperm as in adult patients,” he said.
Huleihel and his team used a three-dimensional agar culture system (SACS) to generate the sperm. Huleihel pioneered the use of SACS for spermatogenesis in vitro.
The study was performed in cooperation with Prof. Eitan Lunenfeld, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, and Prof. Stefan Schlatt, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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