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Doubt cast on lab-made sperm 'breakthrough'
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Correspondent31.07.09
Research claiming to have created the first human sperm from embryonic stem cells was retracted today amid a dispute over plagiarism.
The study from Newcastle University was published in the academic journal Stem Cells and Development, causing a major debate over the future of human reproduction.
The Newcastle scientists said they had produced the sperm in a laboratory and that it could one day help infertile men father children.
However, critics said the sperm did not have the specific shape, movement or function of real sperm.
Today, the journal retracted the paper, telling scientific journal Nature two paragraphs in its introduction had been plagiarised.
Newcastle University blamed the plagiarism on a research associate who has left the institution, and said the science behind the research, and its conclusions, were not in question.
Experts said the plagiarism charge did not necessarily undermine the rest of the paper, though they acknowledged it may raise concerns.
"This is clearly scientific misconduct," said Allan Pacey, secretary for the British Fertility Society. "I can understand why people might think, if they were sloppy here, maybe they were sloppy elsewhere."
When the initial paper was published, Mr Pacey said he was unconvinced the cells produced could accurately be called spermatazoa.
Karim Nayernia, who led the research at Newcastle University, was unavailable to comment. The revised paper will be submitted to another journal.
