title: Sertoli cell-mediated differentiation of male germ cell-like cells from human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells in an in vitro co-culture system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microenvironment signals play a critical role in directing the differentiation of stem cells. Sertoli cells (SCs) provide a unique microenvironment that is essential for germ cell differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our previous study has demonstrated that human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) could differentiate towards male germ cells in vitro, but HUMSC-derived germ-like cells expressed only few germ cell markers. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SCs on the differentiation of HUMSCs towards male germ cells using a co-culture system that mimicked the in vivo male germ cell microenvironment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HUMSCs formed clump-like features on SC monolayers after seeding for 3 weeks. Differentiated cells formed round colonies that share the morphological features of spermatogonial colonies. RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and Western blot analyses revealed the expression of early germ cell markers STELLA and VASA and male germ cell-specific marker DAZL in differentiated HUMSCs, confirming the presence of cells with characteristics of male germ cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HUMSC-SC co-culture system mimics a native microenvironment for germ cell colonization without any in vitro artificial manipulation and can be used to explore the mechanisms controlling the differentiation of male germ cells from HUMSCs. Male germ cells derived from HUMSCs may be used in the therapy for male infertility.
authors: Women's and Children's Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518000, China. shirleyxie_2008@yahoo.cn.|Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. shirleyxie_2008@yahoo.cn.
authors: Lichun
authors: L
authors: Xie
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. linlm2299@yahoo.com.cn.
authors: Limin
authors: L
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. tql622@163.com.
authors: Qiuliu
authors: Q
authors: Tang
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. 13076361122@139.com.
authors: Weizhong
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. thhuang@stu.edu.cn.
authors: Tianhua
authors: T
authors: Huang
authors: Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. xhuo@stu.edu.cn.
authors: Xiao
authors: X
authors: Huo
authors: Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. xsliu@stu.edu.cn.
authors: Xiaoshan
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. jkjiang@stu.edu.cn.
authors: Jikai
authors: J
authors: Jiang
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. guyu.ho@gmail.com.
authors: Guyu
authors: G
authors: He
authors: Women's and Children's Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518000, China. malian8965@sina.com.|Department of Pediatrics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. malian8965@sina.com.|Maternal and Child Health Care Center of Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518000, China. malian8965@sina.com.|Translational Medicine Center, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China. malian8965@sina.com.
authors: Lian
authors: L
authors: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D059631:Wharton Jelly / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned
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