BETHESDA, MARYLAND — Researchers are developing sperm-binding beads that could be used as a form of contraception.
According to The Scientist, the sticky balls are made from a sugary substance extracted from seaweed. They have a diameter of only 0.037 millimeters and are so tiny that around eight million can fit into the space of a small fingernail.
The beads are coated with ZP2, a protein typically found covering human eggs. When embedded in the uterus, they act as a decoy — binding sperm to them and preventing fertilization of the real thing.
The ZP2 beads were first tested in vitro and then implanted in female mice. New Scientist reports that despite being with a fertile male, the female avoided pregnancy for over two months, after which she became fertile again.
The sperm-binding beads do not induce the side effects of hormonal contraceptives like the pill, which can include weight gain, lower sex drive and blood clots.
While effective in mice, more tests are needed before the beads can safely be used as a method of birth control for humans.
Conversely, the beads can be used in assisted conception, by identifying superior sperm that can successfully bind to the egg.
The study — conducted by a team from the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — was recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
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