Spermatogonial stem cells

Abstract

The process of spermatogenesis is initiated and maintained by a rare population of single spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). The SSCs are attached to the basement membrane of the seminiferous tubules and are characterized by typical morphological criteria. SSCs are the important starting point as part of a robust stem cell system of the testis involved in spermatogenesis and reproduction. The isolation and cultivation of human SSCs would significantly contribute to the increasing knowledge of human germ and stem cell biology. Although still a difficult task, the newly established enrichment and in vitro propagation of spermatogonia that carry the male genome from generation to generation provides an important step for future transplantation and restoration of fertility in the clinic.