[thechat] Mice Used as Sperm Factories for Pigs, Goats

[Madhu Menon]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0814_020814_sperm.html

 From the "it's fucking scary what science is doing these days" department
comes this:

<quote>

For the first time scientists have been able to produce viable sperm from
the tissue of sexually immature mammals—and at the same time produce sperm
of one species in the body of another species.
Researchers report that by transplanting tissue from the testicles of
newborn pigs and goats onto the backs of laboratory mice the tissue not
only survived but it started to produce mature, fully functional sperm of
the donor species.

The ability to produce virtually unlimited amounts of sperm using this
technique could conceivably be used to help human couples struggling with
male fertility problems, preserve species close to extinction, and in
animal husbandry.

</quote>

Human sperm harvested in a mouse. Brrrrr...

Regards,

Madhu

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Madhu Menon
User Experience Consultant
e-mail: webguru at vsnl.net