Cornell University scientists have taken a major step toward developing a safe, reversible, long-acting and 100% effective nonhormonal male contraceptive, considered the holy grail of male contraception.
In a proof-of-principle study conducted in mice over six years, the team showed that interrupting a key step in meiosis, the process that produces sex cells, can temporarily halt sperm production without causing lasting harm.
The findings were published today (April 7) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
