[orneryman]

It seems scientists might have found a way to produce sperm cells from bone marrow tissues, including those from a woman, thus eradicating the need for males in the reproduction process of the human species.

And what's more interesting, the synthetic sperm produced from a woman's bone marrow would be devoid of the Y chromosome needed for a male child.

While the prospect of an Amazonian/Lesbos future for humanity is alluring, would be nice if some men were around to see that.

Originally Posted by The Independent

Women might soon be able to produce sperm in a development that could allow lesbian couples to have their own biological daughters, according to a pioneering study published today.

Scientists are seeking ethical permission to produce synthetic sperm cells from a woman's bone marrow tissue after showing that it possible to produce rudimentary sperm cells from male bone-marrow tissue.

The researchers said they had already produced early sperm cells from bone-marrow tissue taken from men. They believe the findings show that it may be possible to restore fertility to men who cannot naturally produce their own sperm.

But the results also raise the prospect of being able to take bone-marrow tissue from women and coaxing the stem cells within the female tissue to develop into sperm cells, said Professor Karim Nayernia of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Creating sperm from women would mean they would only be able to produce daughters because the Y chromosome of male sperm would still be needed to produce sons. The latest research brings the prospect of female-only conception a step closer.

"Theoretically is it possible," Professor Nayernia said. "The problem is whether the sperm cells are functional or not. I don't think there is an ethical barrier, so long as it's safe. We are in the process of applying for ethical approval. We are preparing now to apply to use the existing bone marrow stem cell bank here in Newcastle. We need permission from the patient who supplied the bone marrow, the ethics committee and the hospital itself."

If sperm cells can be developed from female bone-marrow tissue they will be matured in the laboratory and tested for their ability to penetrate the outer "shell" of a hamster's egg - a standard fertility test for sperm.

"We want to test the functionality of any male and female sperm that is made by this way," Professor Nayernia said. But he said there was no intention at this stage to produce female sperm that would be used to fertilise a human egg, a move that would require the approval of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

The immediate aim is to see if female bone marrow can be lured into developing into the stem cells that can make sperm cells. The ultimate aim is to discover if these secondary stem cells can then be made into other useful tissues of the body, he said.

The latest findings, published in the journal Reproduction: Gamete Biology, show that male bone marrow can be used to make the early "spermatagonial" stem cells that normally mature into fully developed sperm cells.

"Our next goal is to see if we can get the spermatagonial stem cells to progress to mature sperm in the laboratory and this should take around three to five years of experiments," Professor Nayernia said.

Last year, Professor Nayernia led scientists at the University of Gottingen in Germany who became the first to produce viable artificial sperm from mouse embryonic stem cells, which were used to produce seven live offspring.

His latest work on stem cells derived from human bone marrow suggests that it could be possible to develop the techniques to help men who cannot produce their own sperm naturally.

"We're very excited about this discovery, particularly as our earlier work in mice suggests that we could develop this work even further," Professor Nayernia said.

Whether the scientists will ever be able to develop the techniques to help real patients - male or female - will depend on future legislation that the Government is preparing as a replacement to the existing Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.

A White Paper on genetics suggested that artificial gametes produced from the ordinary "somatic" tissue of the body may be banned from being used to fertilise human eggs by in vitro fertilisation.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle2444462.ece

[Euphoria]

I'd still have a child with a man...nothing can replace the feeling you get when you wake up next to that jackass you love so very very much...So Lesbians can have kids? so what. Alot of people actually want a father for there kid! I know I would be pretty pissed if I had to raise a kid all on my own, and I'd probably commit suicide if I had to live in a society of just women.

[Honor Woods]

Originally Posted by orneryman

It seems scientists might have found a way to produce sperm cells from bone marrow tissues, including those from a woman, thus eradicating the need for males in the reproduction process of the human species.

And what's more interesting, the synthetic sperm produced from a woman's bone marrow would be devoid of the Y chromosome needed for a male child.

While the prospect of an Amazonian/Lesbos future for humanity is alluring, would be nice if some men were around to see that.



http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...cle2444462.ece

It would be nice if there were some men around to see that there were no more men?

Bah! who's gonna get stuff off the top shelf for me? Who's gonna mow the yard? Who's gonna unstick the jelly jar? Who do we send downstairs in the middle of the night when we hear noises?

I say we keep a few around, just in case...

[pruneboy]

Originally Posted by Honor Woods

It would be nice if there were some men around to see that there were no more men?

Bah! who's gonna get stuff off the top shelf for me? Who's gonna mow the yard? Who's gonna unstick the jelly jar? Who do we send downstairs in the middle of the night when we hear noises?

I say we keep a few around, just in case...

Just let me keep my computer and my broadband and I'll be happy in your glass cage.

[Honor Woods]

Originally Posted by pruneboy

Just let me keep my computer and my broadband and I'll be happy in your glass cage.

It really would be broadband then.

[Ishtavin]

A world of only women...dear god, imagine the size of the kitchen needed to contain them all.

[Loopy]

hmmm there was a show on the SciFi channel a while back that had this theme.. damned if I cam remember what it was called now.

[Honor Woods]

Originally Posted by Ishtavin

A world of only women...dear god, imagine the size of the kitchen needed to contain them all.

I'm learning to be a fair cook. Never was interested in it much before. But for some reason lately I've been very domestic. Cleaning, cooking. If I take up knitting, someone please shoot me!

[pruneboy]

Originally Posted by Honor Woods

It really would be broadband then.

As long as I'm not manhandled.

[Honor Woods]

Originally Posted by pruneboy

As long as I'm not manhandled.

The only man on the planet, kept in a little glass cage in the zoo...

I'm sure your life would be interesting.

[pruneboy]

Well, it does'nt sound all that different from this life I guess. Sometimes it feels like I'm allready in that glass cage.

edit:
That sounded rather depressing, did'nt it? It's not that bad - Life I mean. It will be better when work is over I guess.

[Doddy]

Nah.

Pretty soon we'll be able to grow a human from scratch - no donor egg or sperm needed.

But you can't say that will be the end of humans.

[Honor Woods]

Originally Posted by Doddy

Nah.

Pretty soon we'll be able to grow a human from scratch - no donor egg or sperm needed.

But you can't say that will be the end of humans.

Ahh, but if there are only girl babies; it would be the end of men. which would be a shame. I'd like to keep mine a bit. He also carries in groceries without being asked.

[emilyliam]

Originally Posted by Euphoria

I'd still have a child with a man...nothing can replace the feeling you get when you wake up next to that jackass you love so very very much...

So is the implication that lesbians don't have that same feeling, or that if we were all lesbians the people we loved wouldn't be jackasses?

[Euphoria]

Originally Posted by emilyliam

So is the implication that lesbians don't have that same feeling, or that if we were all lesbians the people we loved wouldn't be jackasses?

if we were all lesbians...making said babies just wouldn't feel the same...if you know what I mean.

[emilyliam]

Originally Posted by Euphoria

if we were all lesbians...making said babies just wouldn't feel the same...if you know what I mean.

Are you talking sex or love?

[Ishtavin]

Originally Posted by emilyliam

Are you talking sex or love?

Without men you chicks wouldnt have anyone to cook and clean for omg.

[Trystan365]

Originally Posted by Ishtavin

A world of only women...dear god, imagine the size of the kitchen needed to contain them all.

As a fairly excellent cook myself, I want a big kitchen. Nothing pleases a woman more than having her man cook a gourmet meal, then do the dishes after. Well, nothing pleases them more than anything I can say here...if this moves to the volcano, I'll elucidate.

My ex-wife still, after several years apart, still says that the thing about me she misses the most is my skill in the kitchen. There are also folks on this here very board that can vouchsafe my leet culinary skillz!

[Danni]

But who would cut the grass and take out the trash?

[Trystan365]

Originally Posted by Honor Woods

I'm learning to be a fair cook. Never was interested in it much before. But for some reason lately I've been very domestic. Cleaning, cooking. If I take up knitting, someone please shoot me!

Food Channel is your friend. They've strayed, in my opinion, from teaching to entertainment, but you can still get some excellent ideas from them.