Japanese researchers have reportedly developed a novel artificial intelligence model that can predict male infertility using a basic blood test with approximately 74% accuracy.
The AI system can forecast male infertility with approximately 74% accuracy by examining hormone levels in the blood test. Significantly, it has shown a 100% success rate in detecting non-obstructive azoospermia, a condition characterized by the absence of sperm in the semen.
Hideyuki Kobayashi, an Associate Professor at Toho University School of Medicine in Japan, who conducted the study, stated that they examined the levels of FSH, LH, PRL, total testosterone, and E2 in blood serum to research male infertility.
A laboratory technician places human blood samples on an automated testing line at the Maccabi Health Services HMO central laboratory January 22, 2006 in Nes Tsiona which is located in central Israel. Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images
(Photo : Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images)
A laboratory technician places human blood samples on an automated testing line at the Maccabi Health Services HMO central laboratory January 22, 2006 in Nes Tsiona which is located in central Israel.
The AI model was created by utilizing information from male infertility patients who underwent semen and hormone testing from 2011 to 2020. Subjects over 18 years old were considered in the study. The majority of individuals were of Japanese descent with an average age of roughly 36 years.
The model uses the sum of motile sperm, which is determined by semen volume, sperm concentration, and sperm motility, as a point of comparison. The AI model checks if the overall sperm count is normal by comparing each patient's results to the WHO laboratory manual reference values.
The research made use of specialized AI software named Prediction One, which is exclusively accessible in Japanese at present. This software streamlines the creation of AI models, enabling researchers with limited programming skills to get involved.
To confirm the effectiveness of the AI model, the researchers conducted tests using data from 188 patients in 2021 and 166 patients in 2022. This time, the accuracy rates were reduced to 58% in 2021 and 68% in 2022.
However, it is important to note that the AI model maintained 100% accuracy in predicting non-obstructive azoospermia, a severe form of infertility, in both years.
Artificial Remedies to Infertility
While AI is improving male infertility tests, this year also saw scientists developing lab-grown testicle organoids that closely imitate natural testes, potentially revolutionizing infertility treatment.
Organoids, small 3D organs created mainly from stem cells, have transformed the exploration of different organs and tissues, enabling scientists to simulate disease conditions and evaluate potential therapies.
Organoids have been created for various organs like the brain, heart, and intestines in the last ten years, but there has been a lack of testicle organoids until recently.
To fill this lack of scientific knowledge, researchers at Bar-Ilan University in Israel have developed testicle organoids using neonatal mouse cells. Under the guidance of Dr. Nitzan Gonen, an expert in fetal gender identification, the team created synthetic testicles that closely mimic real ones.
The creation of these testicular organoids could potentially improve the development and function of testicles, especially in the case of disorders of sexual development (DSD) and male infertility.
Gonen and her colleagues believe that these synthetic testes could offer a useful representation for fundamental studies, giving an understanding of the processes behind sex determination and infertility.
The artificial testes are small organoids created from real mouse testicular tissue. Researchers believe that organoids provide a more precise depiction of the intricate cellular structure and interactions present in natural organs, as compared to traditional two-dimensional cell cultures.
By carefully employing cultivation methods, the team managed to cultivate testicle organoids in a laboratory setting for an impressive nine weeks. Researchers can study important processes like sperm production and hormone synthesis in a controlled lab setting due to the longer lifespan.
