Human Sperm Cells
A Fertile Field of Study
by Vera H-C ChanJul 10, 2009
In spring, a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of love. In science, it turns to spermatozoa. A bevy of studies on male reproductive cells has been unleashed in the past few weeks. To wit:
- Quantity improves quality: Heard at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, an Australian researcher claimed conception rates improved with a steady sexual diet, rather than throttling back for maximum effect.
- Delivering more than coals from Newcastle: The Newcastle University of England bragged in the journal Stem Cells and Development about creating human sperm cells from embryonic stem cells. Dubious party-poopers wanted to see them to believe it—and "in high resolution." The British researchers admit they need several more years "to improve the techniques" for a truer facsimile.
- Fowl is fair and fair is fowl: The Proceedings of the Royal Society B published a study that took an awful close look at red junglefowl, which apparently could "adjust the speed and effectiveness of their sperm" based on how fair the female.
- The prettier the package, the lighter the load: More English researchers will share their observations in "American Naturalist" journal that, as Science Daily sums up, "attractive males" have a lesser "sperm load." The theory goes, the better-looking the male (whatever the species), the higher the odds he'll get a female, so he doesn't have to try as hard.
Conversely, "less attractive males" have to "make the most of their meagre opportunities." Look for the September issue, under the gripping title, "The evolution of continuous variation in ejaculate expenditure strategy."
