First created artificial sperm

Newcastle scientists (UK) have announced the creation of human sperm in the laboratory and this is the first time in the world to have this unique ' product '.

They said they " urged " embryonic stem cells to divide the chromosome, then reared the tail and they developed into sperm cells. This technique is expected to allow infertile men the opportunity to be a father.

Professor Karim Nayernia, of the North England East Cells Institute (NESCI), said his team did not intend to use its groundbreaking research to create lab humans. ' This study is also investigating why some people are infertile, on which we can find infertility treatments ,' he said.

Nayernia's team has named the cells they created as " test-tube sperm ," or IVD sperm. In Stem Cells and Development, the group said it would take at least five more years for IVD sperm production to be perfect.

However, other scientists warn that artificial sperm cells are unlikely to produce a living fetus.

In the UK, the law prohibits the use of artificial sperm to create babies, but NESCI scientists say they want the law to change to help infertile people wish to have children.