Why sperm swimmers are the key to the future of fertility and contraception

Further testing of several of hit compounds showed improved function and swimming in sperm

Despite the huge global demand for both fertility treatment and contraception, there are surprisingly few options to boost male fertility, or for male contraception. To have more options, we really need a better understanding of how human sperm work. Unfortunately, they are incredibly difficult to study in the lab.

Not only are sperm the smallest cells in the body (25 times smaller than a grain of sand), they are unique and highly specialised, designed to survive outside the body. Unlike other cells, sperm contain virtually no cytoplasm – the jelly-like fluid that fills a cell and stores many of the chemicals