Scientists grow sperm cells in a lab for first time

The New York Post reports:

Raising hopes for infertile men, French scientists said Friday they have successfully grown sperm cells in a lab for the first time.

The Kallistem lab in Lyon obtained “complete human spermatozoa in vitro” — a feat that scientists have tried to achieve for about 15 years, AFP reported.

“At the end of 2014 the company was able to produce fully formed human spermatozoa in the laboratory setting, using patient testicular biopsies containing only immature germ cells, or spermatogonia,” the company said in a statement.

The accomplishment comes as the “numbers of spermatozoa have declined by 50 percent over the last 50 years,” the company said.

The growth story of the day.