Derivation of male germ cells from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells: A novel and crucial source for generating male gametes

Abstract

One of the most significant findings in recent stem cell research is the establishment of the induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, because they could have critical implications in both regenerative and reproductive medicine. Male gametes play a crucial role in transmitting genetic information to subsequent generations, and notably there are more and more patients with azoospermia, due to genetic and environmental factors. Recent advancements on generation of male gametes from human iPS cells would bring great promise to produce patient own male gametes for treating male infertility and provide an excellent platform for unveiling molecular mechanisms of male germ cell development. © 2012 AJA, SIMM & SJTU. All rights reserved.