Spermatogonia: origin, physiology and prospects for conservation and manipulation of the male germ line
Jens Ehmcke A , Karin Hübner B , Hans R. Schöler B and Stefan Schlatt A CA University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Center for Research in Reproductive Biology, W952 Biomedical Science Tower, 3500 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
B Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Mendelstrasse 7, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
C Corresponding author. Email: schlatt@pitt.edu
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 18(2) 7-12 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD05119
Submitted: 21 September 2005 Accepted: 21 September 2005 Published: 14 December 2005
Abstract
In recent years, the scientific community has become increasingly interested in spermatogonia. Methodological breakthroughs, such as germ cell transplantation and spermatogonial culture combined with novel germ line transfection strategies, have provided interesting new opportunities for studying the physiology of spermatogonial stem cells and their interaction with the stem cell niche. Furthermore, intense research into pluripotent and adult stem cells has generated new insight into the differentiation pathway of germ line stem cells and has opened new perspectives for stem cell technologies. The present review briefly introduces the physiology of spermatogonial stem cells and discusses future directions of basic research and practical approaches applicable to livestock maintenance and animal reproduction.
Acknowledgments
The authors’ work presented in this review was funded by grants and fellowships from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Schl 394/6, Schl 394/3), start up funds from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a National Institutes of Health grant (1RO1 HD050617-01).
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