Vidcast: https://youtu.be/z_dp6Ogts8c

An effective but reversible male contraceptive has been an elusive goal for the past century since Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger coined the term “birth control.”  Chinese bioengineers using the latest nanotechnology report a unique sperm tube blocking parfait that may just do the trick.  They tested the concept in a rat model.

To prevent sperm from traveling down from the testes, the researchers injected four layers into the vas deferens, the sperm tube.  A layer of hydrogel formed a barrier to sperm travel, a layer of gold nanoparticles which heat up and will dissolve the hydrogel when exposed to near infrared light, EDTA, a chemical that helps to break down the hydrogel but also kills sperm, and finally another layer of gold nanoparticles.

This blocking parfait prevented sperm passage for about 2 months, but application of near infrared light can immediately opened the vas deferens tubes to permit sperm flow when desired.  More work will need to be done before this method hits the men’s clinic.   The blockage will need to last longer, and the injected materials must be proven safe for humans.

Parts of this method are not new.  Gel injections to produce vas deferens tube blockage have been proposed before, but a second injection of a flushing chemical was needed to clear the tube.  The gold nanoparticles do the job on command without another needle.

#malecontraception #spermacide #vasblockage #nanotechnology #nanoparticles #hydrogel #healthnews #healthtips

Weiwei Bao, Lin Xie, Xuhui Zeng, Hang Kang, Shiqi Wen, Ben Cui, Wenting Li, Yisong Qian, Jie Wu, Ting Li, Keyu Deng, Hong-Bo Xin, Xiaolei Wang. A Cocktail-Inspired Male Birth Control Strategy with Physical/Chemical Dual Contraceptive Effects and Remote Self-Cleared Properties. ACS Nano, 2019; DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b06683