Now gene editing techniques are used to convert stem cells into active sperm cells that are efficacious for fertilization. This is the genesis of life itself, and the research is pointedly headed toward solving human infertility issues. The temptation to change a few DNA segments along the way will be irresistible. ? TN Editor

Male infertility can be an awkward topic to discuss for many patients, but on a global level, a concerning upward trend has become apparent. More and more men all over the world are finding out from their doctors that they are infertile. However, groundbreaking new stem cell research by scientists at the University of Georgia is offering up some serious hope for new clinical infertility therapies in the not-so-distant future. For the first time ever, scientists have successfully created functional sperm cells in a dish using primate embryonic stem cells.

"This is a major breakthrough towards producing stem cell-based therapies to treat male infertility in cases where the men do not produce any viable sperm cells," says lead researcher Charles Easley, an associate professor in UGA's College of Public Health, in a university release.