Pluripotency of spermatogonial stem cells from adult mouse testis.
Embryonic germ cells as well as germline stem cells from neonatal mouse testis are pluripotent and have differentiation potential similar to embryonic stem cells, suggesting that the germline lineage may retain the ability to generate pluripotent cells. However, until now there has been no evidence for the pluripotency and plasticity of adult spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), which are responsible for maintaining spermatogenesis throughout life in the male. Here we show the isolation of SSCs from adult mouse testis using genetic selection, with a success rate of 27%. These isolated SSCs respond to culture conditions and acquire embryonic stem cell properties. We name these cells multipotent adult germline stem cells (maGSCs). They are able to spontaneously differentiate into derivatives of the three embryonic germ layers in vitro and generate teratomas in immunodeficient mice. When injected into an early blastocyst, SSCs contribute to the development of various organs and show germline transmission. Thus, the capacity to form multipotent cells persists in adult mouse testis. Establishment of human maGSCs from testicular biopsies may allow individual cell-based therapy without the ethical and immunological problems associated with human embryonic stem cells. Furthermore, these cells may provide new opportunities to study genetic diseases in various cell lineages.
Department of Cardiology and Pneumology, Heart Center, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
Kaomei
K
Guan
Karim
K
Nayernia
Lars S
LS
Maier
Stefan
S
Wagner
Ralf
R
Dressel
Jae Ho
JH
Lee
Jessica
J
Nolte
Frieder
F
Wolf
Manyu
M
Li
Wolfgang
W
Engel
Gerd
G
Hasenfuss
D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D039902:Multipotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D035845:Research Embryo Creation / Q000941:ethics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology*; D013724:Teratoma / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
D014157:Transcription Factors