This controversial new technique of artificial replication of the male genome is seen as the ray of hope for men with very low sperm counts. Although it could be years before the method is used on human beings, the researchers say that the new method targets to improve the chances of fertilising an egg with a man's own sperm.
The researchers, which presented the findings at the 23rd annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on Tuesday, have also cleared the fact that the method is not linked to cloning of humans and is only seen as an aid for men with fertility problems.
By the use of sperm cloning, scientists hope to maintain the sperm's normal chromosomal make-up, its ability to fertilize and to participate in full-term embryo development. Then the sperm can be used to chance the number of chances of conception of many couples thus improving chances of conception for female partner.
During the procedure, the researchers injected a single healthy mouse sperm into a mouse egg from which the nucleus had been removed. The method thus allowed the cloning of the male genome and the newly-formed sperm genome was found to be chromosomally identical to its originator in over 80 per cent of the clones analyzed.
The scientists then fused the resulting cells with a previously chemically-activated cell. The newly derived cells were now equipped in chromosomes from both parents.
Scientists at this stage developed the newly-formed cells to into blastocysts, where each early embryo contains between 70 and 100 cells. By transferring 64 blastocysts to 6 foster-mother mice, scientists were also to achieve 4 normal adult offspring.
In addition to providing hope for infertile couples, the new method also gives a chance to use the replicates of the sperm nucleus for research purposes.
