Skip Navigation


Human Reproduction Update Advance Access originally published online on April 7, 2005
Human Reproduction Update 2005 11(3):229-259; doi:10.1093/humupd/dmi007
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
11/3/229    most recent
dmi007v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (9)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Sofikitis, N.
Right arrow Articles by Miyagawa, I.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Sofikitis, N.
Right arrow Articles by Miyagawa, I.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions{at}oupjournals.org

Efforts to create an artificial testis: culture systems of male germ cells under biochemical conditions resembling the seminiferous tubular biochemical environment

N. Sofikitis1,2,7, E. Pappas2, A. Kawatani3, D. Baltogiannis1, D. Loutradis3, N. Kanakas1, D. Giannakis1, F. Dimitriadis1,2, K. Tsoukanelis1,2, I. Georgiou1, G. Makrydimas1, Y. Mio4, V. Tarlatzis5, M. Melekos6 and I. Miyagawa2

1 Laboratory for Molecular Urology and Genetics of Human Reproduction, Department of Urology, Ioannina University School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece, 2 Department of Urology, Tottori University School of Medicine, Yonago, Japan, 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Athens University School of Medicine, Athens, Greece, 4 MFC Clinic, Yonago, Japan, 5 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aristotle University School of Medicine, Thessaloniki and 6 Department of Urology, Thessalia University School of Medicine, Larissa, Greece

7 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Urology, Tottori University School of Medicine, 36-1 Nishimachi, 683-8504, Yonago, Japan. Email: akrosnin{at}hotmail.com

Induction of meiotic and post-meiotic alterations of male germ cells in vitro has been the target of several research efforts since 1960. However, to date, the establishment of an ideal culture system in which spermatogonial stem cells can be maintained and directed to proliferate and undergo meiosis and complete spermiogenesis does not exist. This is attributed to the difficulties concerning the isolation and purification of defined subpopulations of germ cells and the establishment of male germ cell lines. In addition, there is no adequate knowledge regarding the optimal biochemical conditions that promote the survival and differentiation of germ cells in long-term cultures. This review focuses on the methodologies that have been proved sufficient to achieve differentiation of cultured male germ cells. Furthermore, the factors regulating spermatogenesis and the technical prerequisites to achieve differentiation of cultured male germ cells are described. Finally, the role of in vitro cultures of immature diploid germ cells in the therapeutic management of men negative for haploid cells in their testes and the subsequent potential genetic and epigenetic risks are discussed.

Key words: artificial testis / in vitro culture system / meiotic maturation / spermatogonial stem cell


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J AndrolHome page
J.-B. Stukenborg, J. Wistuba, C. M. Luetjens, M. A. Elhija, M. Huleihel, E. Lunenfeld, J. Gromoll, E. Nieschlag, and S. Schlatt
Coculture of Spermatogonia With Somatic Cells in a Novel Three-Dimensional Soft-Agar-Culture-System
J Androl, May 1, 2008; 29(3): 312 - 329.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J AndrolHome page
K. Gassei, S. Schlatt, and J. Ehmcke
De Novo Morphogenesis of Seminiferous Tubules From Dissociated Immature Rat Testicular Cells in Xenografts
J Androl, July 1, 2006; 27(4): 611 - 618.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
V. Roulet, H. Denis, C. Staub, A. Le Tortorec, B. Delaleu, A.P. Satie, J.J. Patard, B. Jegou, and N. Dejucq-Rainsford
Human testis in organotypic culture: application for basic or clinical research
Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2006; 21(6): 1564 - 1575.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.