Spermatogonial stem cells： Current biotechnologicaladvances in reproduction and regenerative medicine

• 作者: Pedro Manuel Aponte
• 来源期刊: 世界干细胞杂志：英文版（电子版）
• 学科: 医学
• 关键词: Cell CULTURE Spermatogonial stem cells SPERMATOGENESIS PLURIPOTENCY TRANSPLANTATION FERTILITY
• 年，卷（期）: 2015,（4）
• 页码范围: 669-680
• 页数: 12页
• 分类号: R

摘要

Spermatogonial stem cells （SSCs） are the germ stemcells of the seminiferous epithelium in the testis.Through the process of spermatogenesis, they producesperm while concomitantly keeping their cellular poolconstant through self-renewal. SSC biology offersimportant applications for animal reproduction andovercoming human disease through regenerativetherapies. To this end, several techniques involvingSSCs have been developed and will be covered inthis article. SSCs convey genetic information to thenext generation, a property that can be exploited forgene targeting. Additionally, SSCs can be induced tobecome embryonic stem cell-like pluripotent cells invitro . Updates on SSC transplantation techniques withrelated applications, such as fertility restoration andpreservation of endangered species, are also covered onthis article. SSC suspensions can be transplanted to thetestis of an animal and this has given the basis for SSCfunctional assays. This procedure has proven technicallydemanding in large animals and men. In parallel, testistissue xenografting, another transplantation technique,was developed and resulted in sperm production intestis explants grafted into ectopical locations in foreignspecies. Since SSC culture holds a pivotal role in SSCbiotechnologies, current advances are overviewed.Finally, spermatogenesis in vitro , already demonstratedin mice, offers great promises to cope with reproductiveissues in the farm animal industry and human clinicalapplications.