Sperm

Researchers have linked increased numbers of mutations in children to a higher rate of random mutations in sperm cells of the biological father, associated with chemotherapy or rare genetic defects in DNA repair.Scientists have traced the cause of increased numbers of mutations in children to a higher rate of random mutations in sperm cells of the biological father, associated with rare genetic defects in <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div…

New research shows that sperm production is critical to how regions of the genome are re-organized within and between chromosomes during evolution. In particular, inherited chromosomal rearrangements are associated with physical and biochemical processes that are specific to the final stages of sperm production, after the meiotic cell divisions have completed.A study led by researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the University of Kent uncovers how the genome three-dimensional structure of male germ…

Cross section of infertile mouse testis showing previously frozen transplanted rat germ cells and sperm. Credit: Eoin Whelan, Whelan et al., 2022, PLOS Biology, CC-BY 4.0Research in mice holds implications for childhood cancer survivors.Male testis tissue that is cryopreserved can be reimplanted after more than two decades and will go on to make viable sperm, according to a new study in rodents. The research, by Eoin Whelan of the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and colleagues will be published…