title: Cellular origin of testis-derived pluripotent stem cells: a case for very small embryonic-like stem cells.
abstract: It has been suggested that testicular germ stem cells represent the only adult body stem cells that dedifferentiate and reprogram into a pluripotent state without any genetic modification. Emerging debate about the authenticity of embryonic stem cell (ES)-like cells derived from adult testicular tissue has prompted us to put forth this letter. We wish to reinforce our findings that pluripotent very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) exist as a small population in adult mammalian testis and may result in ES-like colonies. Because of their small size, it is felt that VSELs could be contaminating the initial cells used for seeding, although efforts were made to place a single germ cell per well in a 96-well plate for clonal expansion, or magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS)-sorted α6 integrin positive cells were used. On a similar note, it is felt that the presence of VSELs in various tissues along with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may provide an alternative explanation to the transdifferentiation potential of MSCs. We conclude that like Oct-4 biology, presence of VSELs in adult body tissues has somewhat surprised stem cell biologists.
authors: Deepa
authors: D
authors: Bhartiya
authors: Sandhya
authors: S
authors: Kasiviswananthan
authors: Ambreen
authors: A
authors: Shaikh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D054337:Cell Dedifferentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002469:Cell Separation; D054338:Cell Transdifferentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039503:Integrin alpha6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D057905:Stem Cell Research; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D039503:Integrin alpha6; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3