The Dirt:
The creation of a sperm cell from bone marrow is something we’d imagine finding its way into a romantic comedy, but this news alert is no movie trailer. Professor Karim Nayernia, formerly of the Germany’s University of Göttingen and now of Newcastle University and the North-east England Stem Cell Institute, has isolated the mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow taken from male volunteers. The cells were cultured in a lab and “coaxed” into becoming male reproductive cells, known as germ cells.

The professor and his team produced research that showed the presence of partially developed sperm cells, or spermatagonial stem cells, which are an early phase of the male germ cell development. However, the study did not result in the creation of “mature” function sperm. Still, the continued research works toward creating a science that might one day help humans with reproductive issues.

“We’re very excited about this discovery, particularly as our earlier work in mice suggests that we could develop this work even further,” said Nayernia. “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. I’ll be collaborating with other NESCI scientists to take this work forward.”

Nayernia added that a long process of scientific investigation is required, within a reasonable ethical and social framework, to take the research to the next level and see if it has the ability to be applied to human fertility treatments. He gained recognition in July 2006, when he and colleagues created sperm cells from mouse embryonic stem cells and used them to fertilize mice eggs, resulting in seven live births. We can only imagine the media frenzy that would erupt if his research goes in the direction he hopes. But, we think this kind of science is worth supporting and could change the lives of many.

Where:
To learn more about the research, click here.

Scientists at Newcastle University created the U.K.’s first part-human, part-animal hybrid embryos, the BBC reports. The embryos survived up to three days.

Medical groups argue the work could help find treatments for diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Identigene, a unit of the Sorenson Genomics laboratory in Salt Lake City, announced the DNA Paternity Test Collection Kit is available in 4,363 Rite Aid stores in 30 states, including California, and Washington D.C., Mercury News reports.  The kit costs $30, but there’s a $119 charge for the lab processing of the DNA samples, which are collected by cheek swabs.

Thailand’s health chief prohibited hospitals and clinics from castrating would-be “ladyboys” amid growing concern about the operation, which is viewed as a cheap and fast alternative to a sex change operation, Reuters reports.

The Public Health Ministry sent a letter to 16,000 private health units saying that doctors who perform the operation could face up to six months in jail. Thailand has a large number of “ladyboys,” or “katoey” in Thai, a term that includes anything from a transvestite to a man who has had a sex change operation, the wire reports. Ladyboys are often referred to as the “third sex.”

Estimates by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and U.S. sources show the small Gulf nation, United Arab Emirates, was the third largest oil exporter in 2006 and likely held the position last year, Emirates Business reports. UAE ranks after the top exporter, Saudi Arabia, and the second largest exporter in 2006, Russia. The Energy Information Administration, a unit within the U.S. Department of Energy, ranked Norway the fourth largest oil exporter in 2006, with Iran taking fifth. Large supplies also exist in Kuwait and the north African nation of Libya.

Aircraft maker Boeing flew a hydrogen-cell battery powered plane last week, Sydney Morning Herald reports. The plane, which holds two people, flew at 62 mph for 20 minutes at about 3,300 feet above sea level.

U.S. Marshals seized about $1.3 million of illegal dietary supplements from LG Sciences on orders from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because the products are thought to contain unapproved additives or new ingredients. The supplements, taken by body builders, were named Methyl 1-D, Methyl 1-D XL, and Formadrol Extreme XL.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Canadian company Gecko have recalled about 1,670 Hydropool serenity spa hot tubs. The hot tub’s spa control can overheat and become a fire hazard. The company has received 28 reports of the spa control overheating and one report of damage to spa equipment. No injuries have been reported. The recall includes hot tubs with serial numbers 01350XXXX through 03210XXXX sold between January 2002 and December 2004.

The U.S. CPSC and Texas’ Goodman Manufacturing have recalled about 1,000 package Gas-Electric Heating and Cooling Units because the serial plates have inaccurate information that could result in the use of wiring that would present a fire hazard. This recalls Goodman single package gas-electric heating and cooling units with model numbers GPG13480901AC, GPG13481151AC, GPG13600901BB, GPG13601151BB, and GPG13601401BB sold between December 2007 and February 2008.