Scientists at an Israeli university have achieved a significant milestone that could pave the way for new treatments for male infertility, a condition that affects approximately one in 12 men globally.
The research team at Bar-Ilan University successfully grew tiny testicle organoids, which are artificial, miniature organs that can simulate the function and structure of actual testicles.
“Artificial testicles are a promising model for basic research on testicle development and function, which can be translated into therapeutic applications for disorders of sexual development and infertility,” lead researcher Dr. Nitzan Gonen, of the BIU Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, said in a statement.
About one in eight couples face challenges conceiving, and in half of these cases, the male partner’s reproductive issues are to blame.
The root causes of low sperm counts or poor sperm quality are varied, but they can range from genetic anomalies to hormonal imbalances, even including complications from cancer therapies.
The creation of lab-grown testicles offers researchers a vital tool to investigate and perhaps remedy these reproductive difficulties.
The advance was made possible by cultivating organoids from immature cells taken from the testes of newborn mice. These cells were nestled in a specially formulated gel, prompting them to self-assemble into organ-like structures. Remarkably, in just 48 hours, these cells began forming rudimentary tubes.
As these structures matured, over a span of two months, they developed to bear a striking resemblance to the seminiferous tubules in adult mouse testicles, which are responsible for producing sperm.
The longevity of these organoids in the lab environment — up to nine weeks — indicates they could potentially foster sperm growth and release, mirroring a process that usually takes about 34 days in mice.
During this period, the researchers observed the onset of meiosis, a specialized cell division necessary for reducing the chromosome count in reproductive cells in preparation for successful fertilization.
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