title: Alteration in genes expression patterns during in vitro differentiation of mouse spermatogonial cells into neuroepithelial-like cells.
abstract: Pluripotent stem cells derived from testis is a new, natural, and unlimited source for cell therapy in regenerative medicine and represent a possible alternative to replacing of all cells in the body. Here, we designed a simple co-culture system of spermatogonia cells with Sertoli cells for the generation of embryonic stem-like cells from mouse testis. The importance of our simple method will be clear when we compared it with other complex and time-consuming methods. Embryonic stem-like colonies with sharp border confirmed by real-time PCR, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry assessments. Embryonic stem-like colonies were immunopositive for pluripotency markers. Transition of spermatogonia cells to embryonic stem-like cells was accompanied by extensive changes in gene expression. These changes included significant increase in pluripotency genes expression and significant decrease in germ cell-specific genes expression. Also, we proved the differentiation capacity of embryonic stem-like cells to neuroepithelial-like cells which were immunoreactive to Nestin and Neurofilament 68. Evaluation of genes expression during in vitro differentiation into neuroepithelial-like cells showed high-level expression of Nestin whether this gene approximately has no expression in undifferentiated embryonic stem-like cells. Also, expression of pluripotency genes has significantly decreased in neuroepithelial-like cells compared with embryonic stem-like cells. This study shows that embryonic stem-like cells derived from testis are capable to differentiate into neuroepithelial-like cells that may provide a cellular reservoir usable for neurodegenerative disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Medical Sciences Faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalale-Ale-Ahmad Highway, P.O. Box 14115-175, Tehran, Iran, bojnordi@modares.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nazm Bojnordi
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Movahedin
authors.forename: Taki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tiraihi
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Javan