“Sperm robot” to cure infertility? A scientific revolution underway

Sperm transformed into miniature robots

Their code name: sperm-bot. These hybrid micro-robots combine the living and the artificial. Scientists covered the bull’s sperm iron oxide nanoparticleswhich makes them both magnetic AND visible on X-rays.

By exposing them to a rotating magnetic field, researchers can control their direction and speed, like small remote-controlled vehicles that can “roll” along the walls of the uterus.

The most impressive? These magnetic “clusters” of sperm were tested in a 3D printed model of the female reproductive system: they managed to travel from the cervix to the fallopian tubes in less than a minutewhile remaining detectable and without damaging surrounding cells

Understanding fertility… and treating it differently

Until now it was impossible to observe the movement of sperm in the female body without invasive intervention. With these sperm, researchers hope to better understand how gametes move, interact with tissue, or get stuck.

The stakes are immense: almost one in six couples faces infertility problemsoften without a precise explanation. The technology could allow us to visualize the path of sperm in real time, identify areas of obstruction or study why some sperm never reach the egg.

But the applications go further. These biohybrids could also serve as therapeutic carriers, capable of deposit medications directly into the uterus or tubesparticularly to treat endometriosis, uterine fibroids or even some gynecological tumors.

In this scenario it would not be live sperm: the researchers use cells inactivewhose natural structure simply serves as biological vehicle.

These sperm “shells”, covered with magnetic nanoparticles, no longer contain functional DNA and are therefore functional unable to fertilize an egg.

A biocompatible and safe innovation

The idea of ​​introducing “robots” into the body may be worrying, but researchers insist: the sperm have been tested for safety. After 72 hours of exposure, no noteworthy toxicity was observed on human uterine cells.

Even at high concentrations, the magnetic nanoparticles did not affect cell viability, a result considered “very encouraging” by the team led by Dr. Veronika Magdanz and Islam SM Khalil.

Another advantage: Unlike live sperm, these “inert” cells can be stored for a long time, precisely controlled and used as therapeutic microvehicles. without any risk of accidental fertilizationas they are no longer biologically active.

Between hope and ethics

Although these experiments were conducted on animal sperm and artificial models, they already raise dizzying questions.

If human sperm were one day used to transport medicines, where would we place the limit between medical care and manipulation of living beings? ?

The researchers themselves invite ethical reflection before any clinical application. Because this progress, if confirmed, could redefine assisted reproduction, or even reproduction itself.

A revolution still in the experimental phase

For the moment these miniature robots are not ready for use on humans. Their behavior in living tissues, their stability in body fluids and their ability to deliver treatments in a targeted manner remain to be tested.

But the first images, captured by X-rays, already show the immense potential of this technology: to observe, understand and treat on a microscopic scale, where conventional medicine remains blind.

Source: Madmoizelle