AN Oxford childhood cancer specialist has welcomed news that scientists have successfully used frozen testicular tissue to produce a live baby monkey called Grady.
Paediatric Oncology Consultant Dr Sheila Lane, at the Oxford Children’s Hospital said the breakthrough could give hope to young cancer patients who are at risk of infertility.
The Oxford Children and Young Adult Fertility Preservation Programme gives pre-pubescent cancer patients the option of freezing testicular tissue so that they may be able to start a family as adults.
However the science to be able to successfully utilise this tissue is not yet developed.
Read also: Monkey born from frozen testicular tissue offers fertility treatment hope
Grady at two-weeks-old.
Responding to the birth of Grady, Dr Lane said: “This is fantastic news.
“We have been preserving testicular tissue for pre-pubertal boys since 2015.
“Whilst the exact details of how this tissue will be used to help the boys start a family requires more research, the technology for freezing the tissue is well understood and this news takes us one step closer to our final goal.”
The experiment saw US scientists remove a testis from five young rhesus macaques and freeze the testicular tissue.
The animals then underwent chemotherapy before the tissue samples were re-implanted back in the monkeys as they reached puberty.
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