Cure male infertility with artificial sperm

The future of treating infertility in men may depend on artificial sperm, according to a new study.

>>>Finding the gene that can cure male infertility

Canadian scientists claim to have identified the protein needed to activate fertilization and believe they can replicate it in the laboratory.

The team from the University of Queen (Canada) asserted that the artificial version of the protein, called PAWP, can improve diagnoses and treatments for male infertility. In particular, artificial PAWP proteins may be useful in cases where a "breed" of a man cannot combine with eggs to form an early embryo.

According to statistics, at least 1/6 of today's couples need medical assistance to have children. And for half of them, the problem stems from poor sperm quality. Experts believe that this trend is related to diet, lifestyle, exposure to chemicals and even tight underwear.

A large French study in 2012 revealed that gentlemen's "breeds" are declining at an alarming rate, to 38% within a decade. A Spanish study last year also confirmed, even in young men, sperm concentration decreased by an average of 2% per year and may soon reach the level of infertility. Nutrition and lifestyle are thought to be the main culprits causing this problem.

Dr. Richard Oko, head of Canada's new study, stated: "Even in artificial form, PAWP protein can help activate fertilization. PAWP has the ability to stimulate embryo development in eggs of people are similar to the natural activation process made by sperm cells during fertilization ".

Most human infertility treatment is currently conducted by injecting a single sperm directly into the egg. Therefore, Dr. Oko said, adding PAWP to the "breed" of people can be used to improve the rate of successful infertility treatment in the future.

The average success rate of an infertility cycle is currently only 37%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This low success rate is due to many factors, including the inability of sperm cells to initiate fertilization and activate embryonic development when combined with eggs.