Will new fertility research make men obsolete?

kombizz

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17 Jul 2009 - 10:34 AM

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Will new fertility research make men obsolete?

Women run companies, governments, banks, and road crews. They drive big-rigs, serve in the military, and lead scientific research, all while raising a family. It’s true; women can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan. But don’t women need men to make babies?

The news that scientists have created sperm cells out of stem cells raises the question, doesn’t it? After all, evolutionary biologists have noted that the Y (male) chromosome has been losing its genes for millennia. Maybe evolution will just write males off someday.

What if this scientific discovery suddenly made men obsolete, even for procreation? Let’s face it, gone are the days when men were the all-in-one breadwinner, handyman and paterfamilias. If you don’t need him to make a family, what’s left? If your man is reading this over your shoulder, tell him to relax. It’s not going to happen anytime soon. Here’s the story:

British scientists at NorthEast England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) claim they’ve been able to create human sperm out of embryonic stem cells.

But let’s not jump to conclusions, say critics. University of Sheffield lecturer Allan Pacey issued a statement in which he says the sperm created at NESCI did not have the specific shape, movement and function of real sperm.

Jeanne O’Brien, M.D., assistant professor of urology and male infertility at the University of Rochester Medical Center agrees. “Just because it looks like naturally occurring sperm doesn’t mean it acts like it.”

And that’s not the only problem. First off, says Dr. O’Brien, the research is in super preliminary stages. “It really needs to be evaluated further in the reproductive community to understand exactly what’s going on.” In other words, is this for real?

So far, researchers have only been able to use stems cell with the XY (male) chromosome to create “in-vitro derived (IVD) sperm.” When scientists tried to create IVD sperm from cells with the XX (female) chromosome they weren’t able to move beyond early stage sperm. Guys, you may down, but you are not out yet. Even in the lab we still need the Y chromosome.

Beside, says Dr. O’Brien, a bunch of sperm from one line of stem cells means that the next generation would look a lot alike. Because the original stem cells came from one source, every cell created from them would have identical genetic material.

So what does the future hold if the research progresses? Will men actually become obsolete, at least from an evolutionary perspective? No way, says Dr. O’Brien. “It’s kind of a far out idea. It makes me think of Wonder Woman and the island of the Amazons.” For now, it’s all test tubes, lab coats and hypotheses. “Its application in real life is probably quite far in the future,” says Dr. O’Brien.

Since the technology is brand new and no babies have been conceived, let alone born, the mating game is still on.

So, I wonder what would be the future for all of ePhotozine men photographers?

What do you think?

Nigeyboy

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17 Jul 2009 - 10:42 AM

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. . . .or make the decision's

. . . .. . or read maps . . . .

. . . ."retreats to his concrete bunker and puts on tin hat" . . . . . .

Carabosse (e2 Member)

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17 Jul 2009 - 11:22 AM

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Test-tube babies have been with us for a long time. When they find a way of incubating for the whole of the 9-month period, artificially, it may be women that become obselete!

mcgovernjon

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17 Jul 2009 - 1:58 PM

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Aldous Huxely was right again... did you know he said that in the future people would be obsessed with "cordless phones"...?

JimL

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17 Jul 2009 - 2:27 PM

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I can't understand why woman would want to be rid of men anyway?

strawman (e2 Member)

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17 Jul 2009 - 2:33 PM

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Alas CB, you may have just proven that women are the smarter of the species

8Mfps

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17 Jul 2009 - 3:30 PM

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Woman in a position of influence -- WIFE

keith selmes

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17 Jul 2009 - 5:39 PM

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Quote: Nah of course not, women wouldn't have anyone to get the spiders out of the bath.

I immediately think of opening pickle jars and getting things off the top shelf.
I'm sure thats what we're for.
All the other wonderful things we do for them are just bonus.