The spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are responsible for the transmission of genetic information from an individual to the next generation. SSCs play critical roles in understanding the basic reproductive biology of gametes and treatments of human infertility. SSCs not only maintain normal spermatogenesis, but also sustain fertility by critically balancing both SSC self-renewal and differentiat...

In general, the seminiferous tubule basement membrane (STBM), comprising laminin, collagen IV, perlecan, and entactin, plays an important role in self-renewal and spermatogenesis of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in the testis. However, among the diverse extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins constituting the STBM, the mechanism by which each regulates SSC fate has yet to be revealed. Accordingl...

The failure of testicular descent or cryptorchidism is the most common defect in newborn boys. The descent of the testes during development is controlled by insulin-like 3 peptide and steroid hormones produced in testicular Leydig cells, as well as by various genetic and developmental factors. While in some cases the association with genetic abnormalities and environmental causes has been shown...

Stem cells are influenced by their surrounding microenvironment, or niche. In the testis, Sertoli cells are the key niche cells directing the population size and differentiation fate of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Failure to properly regulateSSCs leads to infertility or germcell hyperplasia. Several Sertoli cell-expressed genes, such as Gdnf and Cyp26b1, have been identified as being indi...

The environmental niche of the spermatogonial stem cell pool is critical to ensure the continued generation of the germ cell population. To study the consequences of an aberrant testicular environment in cryptorchidism we used a mouse model with a deletion of Rxfp2 gene resulting in a high intra-abdominal testicular position. Mutant males were infertile with the gross morphology of the cryptorc...

BACKGROUND Niche cells, regulating Spermatogonial Stem Cells (SSCs) fate are believed to have a reciprocal communication with SSCs. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of SSC elimination on the gene expression of Glial cell line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF), Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 (FGF2) and Kit Ligand (KITLG), which are the main growth factors regulating SSCs devel...

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the foundation of spermatogenesis and are located in a highly dynamic microenvironment called "niche" that influences all aspects of stem cell function, including homing, self-renewal and differentiation. Several studies have recently identified specific proteins that regulate the fate of SSCs. These studies also aimed at identifying surface markers that wou...

Mackerel is an important commercial pelagic species present in the western and eastern North Atlantic. The Northeast Atlantic (NEAM) stock has its southernmost spawning area mainly located Iberian Peninsula southern Biscay. This performs extensive annual migrations. study focused on distribution of this along Cantabrian Sea, essential South Spawning Component (SSC), environmental drivers that c...

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease, featuring fibrosis in multiple organs. The serum from SSc patients contain inflammatory mediators, contributing to SSc pathogenesis and could be used to develop cell culture models. Here, we compared the fibrotic effects of serum samples from SSc patients with TGFβ1 on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). HDF cells were cultured in four diff...