Long-term Culture of Human SSEA-4 Positive Spermatogonial Stem Cells (SSCs).

ABSTRACT: Recently we and two other groups have shown that human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) have the potential to become pluripotent in vitro in defined culture conditions and to differentiate into cells of the three embryonic germ layers. This discovery could open new avenues for autologous cell-based therapy in degenerative diseases, bypassing the ethical and immunological problems related to the human embryonic stem cells. In addition, human SSCs could be used to treat infertility in cancer survival children. However, in order to reprogram SSCs into pluripotency, or to preserve them for repopulation of infertile testes, the first and limiting step is to have access to a highly purified human SSC population that could be multiplied and efficiently cultured in vitro maintaining

SUBMITTER: Kokkinaki M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3898576 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature