The ability to generate germ cells from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) is valuable for human regenerative medicine and animal breeding. Germ cell-like cells (GCLCs) have been differentiated from mouse and human PSCs, but not from porcine PSCs, which are considered an ideal model for stem cell applications. Here, we developed a defined culture system for the induction of primordial germ cell-like...

Zebrafish spermatogonial cell cultures were established from Tg(piwil1:neo);Tg(piwil1:DsRed) transgenic fish using a zebrafish ovarian feeder cell line (OFC3) that was engineered to express zebrafish Lif, Fgf2 and Gdnf. Primary cultures, initiated from testes, were treated with G418 to eliminate the somatic cells and select for the piwil1:neo expressing spermatogonia. Addition of dorsomorphin, ...

The use of a transgenic line of rats that express enhanced GFP (EGFP) exclusively in the germ line has allowed a separation of feeder layers and contaminating testis somatic cells from germ cells and the identification of a set of spermatogonial stem cell marker transcripts. With these molecular markers as a guide, we have now devised culture conditions where rat spermatogonial stem cells renew...

enrichment of cell suspension with germ cells prior to injection into recipient seminiferous tubules is of importance in spermatogonial stem cells (sscs) transplantation. knock-out serum replacement (ksr) has been reported to enhance the proliferation of murine sscs and human embryonic stem cells. the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ksr versus fetal bovine serum (fbs) ...

Unipotent spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) can be transformed into ESC-like cells that exhibit pluripotency in vitro. However, except for mouse models, their characterization and their origins have remained controversies in other models including humans. This controversy has arisen primarily from the lack of the direct induction of ESC-like cells from well-characterized SSCs. Thus, the aim of t...

Despite remarkable advances in assisted reproductive capabilities approximately 4% of all couples remain involuntarily infertile. In almost half of these cases, a lack of conception can in some measure be attributed to the male partner, wherein de novo Y-chromosomal deletions of sperm-specific Deleted-in-Azoospermia (DAZ) genes are particularly prevalent. In the current study, long-term culture...

Spermatogenesis is regulated by genetic and epigenetic factors. However, the genes signaling pathways mediating human spermatogenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we have for first time explored expression, function, mechanism of glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) in controlling proliferation apoptosis spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). We found that GPx3 was expressed SSCs. Notably, revealed knoc...

Generation of functional spermatids from azoospermia patients is of unusual significance in the treatment of male infertility. Here, we report an efficient approach to obtain human functional spermatids from cryptorchid patients. Spermatogonia remained whereas meiotic germ cells were rare in cryptorchid patients. Expression of numerous markers for meiotic and postmeiotic male germ cells was enh...

To generate functional human hepatocytes from stem cells and/or extra-hepatic tissues could provide an important source of cells for treating liver diseases. Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) have an unlimited plasticity since they can dedifferentiate and transdifferentiate to other cell lineages. However, generation of mature and functional hepatocytes from human SSCs has not yet been achieved....