Generation of male germ cells <i>in vitro</i> from the stem cells.

Ying-hong Cui; Wei Chen; Si WU; Cai-lin Wan; Zuping HE

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Generation of male germ cells in vitro from the stem cells.

Author: Ying-Hong CUI ^{1
,

2} ; Wei CHEN ^{1
,

2} ; Si WU ^{1
,

2} ; Cai-Lin WAN ^{1
,

2} ; Zuping HE ^{1
,

2}
Author Information

1. The Key Laboratory of Model Animals and Stem Cell Biology in Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University School of Medicine
2. The Manufacture-Based Learning and Research Demonstration Center for Human Reproductive Health New Technology of Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410013, China.
Publication Type:Review
Keywords: application; generation; in vitro; male germ cells; stem cells
MeSH: Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Germ Cells; Embryonic Stem Cells; Cell Differentiation; Infertility, Male; Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
From: Asian Journal of Andrology 2023;25(1):13-20
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Infertility has become a serious disease since it affects 10%-15% of couples worldwide, and male infertility contributes to about 50% of the cases. Notably, a significant decrease occurs in the newborn population by 7.82 million in 2020 compared to 2016 in China. As such, it is essential to explore the effective methods of obtaining functional male gametes for restoring male fertility. Stem cells, including embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), possess the abilities of both self-renewal and differentiation into germ cells. Significantly, much progress has recently been achieved in the generation of male germ cells in vitro from various kinds of stem cells under the specified conditions, e.g., the coculturing with Sertoli cells, three-dimensional culture system, the addition of growth factors and cytokines, and/or the overexpression of germ cell-related genes. In this review, we address the current advance in the derivation of male germ cells in vitro from stem cells based on the studies of the peers and us, and we highlight the perspectives and potential application of stem cell-derived male gametes in reproductive medicine.