Spay, neuter, or shot? How an injection could be the future of animal control
Monday, October 5, 2015 - 11:00
in Biology & Nature
A single shot into the muscle is enough to stop egg and sperm production in mice, report California Institute of Technology scientists on October 5 in Current Biology. The injection delivers packaged DNA into muscle cells, causing them to produce neutralizing antibodies against male and female reproductive hormones. All mice that received the shot were unable to sire offspring after about two months, with no side effects. The researchers see this proof-of-concept study as the first step for developing a cheap alternative to spaying or neutering feral animals.