Sperm News and Research

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The term sperm refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell. The human sperm cell is haploid, so that its 23 chromosomes can join the 23 chromosomes of the female egg to form a diploid cell.

A male contraceptive pill - but will they take it?

British scientists say a male contraceptive pill could be on the market within five years.

28 Nov 2006

Scientists discover function for antisense RNA

Researchers have found that a class of RNA molecules, previously thought to have no function, may in fact protect sex cells from self-destructing. These findings will be published in the November 17 issue of the journal Cell.

20 Nov 2006

Anabolic steroids and antisocial behaviour go together

Swedish researchers have found that there could well be a link between the use of anabolic steroids and antisocial behaviour.

7 Nov 2006

Sperm-busting male contraceptive pill in the pipeline

Scientists are in the process of developing a male contraceptive drug which stops the development process of sperm.

30 Oct 2006

Mobile phones increase mens' risk of infertility

More doubt has been cast on the safety of mobile phones by a new study which says men who use them could be risking their fertility.

24 Oct 2006

Blood clotting protein appears to also play a role in fertility

A protein known to play a role in blood clotting and other cell functions is also critical for proper sperm formation in mice, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

20 Oct 2006

Imperial receives $4 million for glycomics research

A team of researchers from Imperial College London's Division of Molecular Biosciences has received a grant of over US $4 million to support a research facility for understanding how sugars are involved in cell to cell communication.

28 Sep 2006

Older fathers almost six times more likely to have autistic children

Researchers in the U.S. have found that children fathered by older men have a higher risk of developing autism, possibly because of mutations or other genetic changes.

5 Sep 2006

Children of men age 40 and older have a significantly increased risk of having autism

Children of men age 40 and older have a significantly increased risk of having autism spectrum disorders compared with those whose fathers are younger than 30 years, according to an article in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

4 Sep 2006

Massachusetts Gov. Romney reiterates support for state's new embryonic stem cell research regulations

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) on Thursday said the state's newly adopted restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research are intended to prevent an "Orwellian" future, Reuters reports (Reuters, 8/31).

4 Sep 2006

U.S. research challenges Bush over embryonic stem-cell research

Researchers in the U.S. appear all set to challenge President Bush's stand over the issue of embryonic stem-cell research.

24 Aug 2006

Drug given to stop miscarriages doubles breast cancer risk for daughters

Scientists in the U.S. have found that the daughters of women who took a common anti-miscarriage drug during pregnancy may be facing twice the the normal risk of developing breast cancer.

8 Aug 2006

Researchers have found that increasing paternal age is significantly associated with increased rates of spontaneous abortion

Results indicate that as the male partner ages there is a steady increase in rate of miscarriage.

3 Aug 2006

Conception and pregnancy put at risk by marijuana use

According to new research the use of marijuana when a woman is trying to conceive or has just become pregnant, is not recommended as it endangers the passage of the embryo from the ovary to the uterus and can result in a failed pregnancy.

2 Aug 2006

Heat treatment may zap cancer cells

Scientists believe they have discovered a clue as to why so many men with testicular cancer survive against the odds.

26 Jul 2006

Heat sensitivity may make testicular cancer cells more susceptible to standard treatments and die off more readily

Experts at Johns Hopkins have linked scientific evidence spanning more than 30 years to suggest an explanation for why testicular cancer patients like seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong survive far better than patients with other advanced cancers.

26 Jul 2006