State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Methods Mol Biol. 2023;2656:127-143. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3139-3_7.
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) maintain adult spermatogenesis in mammals by undergoing self-renewal and differentiation into spermatozoa. In order to study the biology of SSCs as related to spermatogenesis, an in vitro, long-term expansion system of SSCs constitutes an ideal tool. In this chapter, we describe a robust culture system for mouse and rat SSCs in vitro. In the presence of GDNF, GFRα1, and bFGF, SSCs maintained on STO feeder layers with serum-free medium continuously proliferate for over 6 months. Complete spermatogenesis in infertile recipient mice can be attained following transplantation of the cultured mouse and rat SSCs. Using the in vitro SSC culture systems, elucidation of stem cell biology can be advanced that significantly advances our understanding of spermatogenesis and male fertility.
精原干细胞(SSCs)通过自我更新和分化为精子,维持哺乳动物的成年精子发生。为了研究与精子发生相关的 SSCs 的生物学特性,体外长期扩增 SSCs 的系统是一种理想的工具。在本章中,我们描述了一种用于体外培养小鼠和大鼠 SSCs 的稳健培养系统。在 GDNF、GFRα1 和 bFGF 的存在下,SSCs 在 STO 饲养层上的无血清培养基中持续增殖超过 6 个月。经过培养的小鼠和大鼠 SSCs 的移植,可以使不育受体小鼠获得完整的精子发生。利用体外 SSC 培养系统,可以深入研究干细胞生物学,从而显著提高我们对精子发生和男性生育能力的理解。