[Advances in the studies of spermatogonial stem cells in primate mammals].

ABSTRACT

Spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs) are a type of spermatogonial cells that play an important role in the spermatogenesis of males. SSCs not only possess the properties of stem cells but also differentiate into sperm. They are the unique adult stem cells that transmit genetic information to subsequent generations. Therefore,SSCs are regarded as an ideal alternative source of pluripotent stem cells according with moral and ethical issues,legality,and safety. Long-term in vitro culture systems and identification of SSCs have paved the ground for the studies of their transplantation and pluripotency. Early relevant studies mainly focused on non-primate mammals. Recently,researches on SSCs have made great progress in primate mammals,especially in humans. This review focuses on the characterization,isolation,purification,cultivation,identification,and biological markers of SSCs,with a discussion on their unlimited pluripotency and application,and meanwhile provides an insight into the application potential of SSCs in the treatment of male infertility and human regenerative medicine.