Marcus Cicreo once stated, "Of all nature's gifts to the human race, what is sweeter to a man than his children?" For many families, having a child ranks as one of, if not the, greatest joy. Yet not everyone can share this experience. Business and Industry of Dec 9, 2002 reports that 15% of America's reproductive population, or 6.1 million people, suffer from infertility, 40% of which are men. But for these 2,440,000 men, hope might be on the way. On Feb 9, 2003 News.telegraph.co.uk reported that mice could soon be used as human "sperm factories." For the first time in history, scientists are now able to get one species (mice) to accept testicular tissue from and produce fully functional testicle and sperm of completely different species (goats and pigs). More impressively, however, the testicles can be formed from sexually immature testicle tissue.

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation of Aug 16, 2002, a pinhead-sized piece of testicular tissue is obtained, and then it is grafted under the skin of the mouse. The backside of a mouse is an ideal location for a testicle because it contains a vast amount of blood vessels at a lower temperature, vital components to sperm production. Statistically, over 60% of the grafts survive to produce sperm from as many as eight testes on a single mouse, thus creating a potentially inexhaustible supply of sperm whose benefits are twofold.

One, these mice could allow for greater research and understanding of the reproductive system. In the past, the ethical concerns of experimenting on human reproductive organs have been a roadblock in researching the effects of different chemicals on human reproductive cells. However, this technique could now allow for research and understanding which was once previously unattainable. And the Financial Times of Aug 16, 2002 speculates this research could even lead to new medicines for men. By knowing what drugs are harmful to sperm viability, these chemicals could be removed from many drugs to prevent negative sexual side effects.

Two, perhaps most importantly, mice can help men who potentially will become infertile to still have children. The New Zealand Herald of Sep 9, 2002 argues that men could have mice store their sperm in case they lose the ability of reproduction. One example would be children with leukemia. Chemotherapy often leaves a patient sterile, and if a young boy needs this treatment, there is a good chance the child would never be able to have children of his own, especially since he is too young to produce sperm and have it stored. Now however, the testicular tissue could be saved and sperm produced later as needed.

This discovery, however, does create some ethical challenges. First, by being able to produce limitless sperm, these sperm could be tested to find what genes each sperm contains, thus certain genes could be knocked out of the gene pool. Hence National Geographic News of Aug 14, 2002 informs this procedure could be used as a clean way to manipulate our genetic heritage. While many parents would jump at the chance to ensure their kids won't be "disfigured or defective," we would then be determining which life is worth living and which life is not.

Second, while this new innovation allows for cross-species sperm production, the Nature News Service on Mar 21, 2003 explains this procedure could also allow for viruses to cross species. This would happen by having the virus literally transfer through the sperm into the human species. It is important to remember that both AIDS and Ebola were originally not found in humans and only mutated into a human strand after direct contact within the human body. So while this procedure could be used to bring about life, it could also be used to end it.

Finally, men have historically had a monopoly on sperm production, but if mice can produce human sperm, Globe and Mail of Aug 17, 2002 asks, could human males become obsolete? Men could soon technically no longer be a requirement to make a baby.

If Marcus Cicreo was right when he said children are the sweetest joy, then the time has come where we must decide just how far we are willing to go to make sure that everyone can experience this sweet joy.