Researchers have used skin cells to make primitive artificial sperm and eggs in a move that could transform fertility treatment.

Scientists in Cambridge made the sex cells by culturing human embryonic stem cells for five days under carefully-controlled conditions. They then showed that the same process can convert adults' skin tissue into early-stage sperm and eggs. The scientists believe that those cells could then grow into mature sperm and eggs.

The next step in the project will be to inject the primitive cells into mouse ovaries to see if they do fully develop. If it works, it could mean skin cells could be turned into genetically-identical sex cells to be used in adults who are undergoing IVF therapy.

Azim Surani, who led the work at the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, told the Guardian: 'It’s remarkably fast. We can now take any embryonic stem cell line and once we have them in the proper conditions, we can make these primordial cells in five to six days.'  

The move could be a landmark development in the medical world. Researchers have previously made sperm and eggs from rodent stem cells but have struggled to achieve the same with human cells. 

If the research does work, the current law for fertility treatment would need to be changed for the process to be used.