Some forms of male infertility currently have no solution, so those affected cannot have offspring. That is the case of men suffering from non-obstructive azoospermia.
non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is defined as the absence of sperm in the ejaculate due to failure of spermatogenesis and is the most severe form of male infertility.
However, scientists from the University of British Columbia (UBC) have carried out a study that may offer hope against male infertility, since they have managed to print human testicular cells in 3D.
The UBC researchers, led by Dr. Ryan Flannigan, hope the technique will one day offer a solution for people living with currently untreatable forms of male infertility.
“Infertility affects 15 percent of couples, and male factors are a contributing cause in at least half of those cases,” notes Dr. Flannigan.
“We are 3D printing these cells, in a very specific structure that mimics human anatomy, which we believe is our best chance to stimulate sperm production. If successful, this could open the door to new fertility treatments for couples who currently have no other options.”
For the recent study, researchers performed a biopsy to collect stem cells from the testicles of a patient living with NOA. The cells were then grown and 3D printed in a petri dish into a hollow tubular structure that resembles the sperm-producing seminiferous tubules.
Twelve days after printing, the team found that the cells had survived. Not only that, they had matured into several of the specialized cells involved in sperm production and showed significant improvement in the maintenance of spermatogonial stem cells.
“It is a great milestone to see how these cells survive and begin to differentiate. There is a long way to go, but this makes our team very hopeful,” says Dr. Flannigan.
The team is now working to ‘train’ the imprinted cells to produce sperm. To do this, they will expose the cells to different nutrients and growth factors and adjust the structural arrangement to facilitate cell-to-cell interaction.
If they can get the cells to produce sperm, those sperm could potentially be used to fertilize an egg using in vitro fertilization, providing a new fertility treatment option for couples.
Reference: Meghan Robinson, Erin Bedford, Luke Witherspoon, et al. «Using Clinically Derived Human Tissue to 3D Bioprint Personalized Testicular Tubules For in-Vitro Culturing. First Report». Fertility and Sterility Science, 16 february 2022.
