scholarly journals Spermatogonia: origin, physiology and prospects for conservation and manipulation of the male germ line

2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Ehmcke ◽  
Karin Hübner ◽  
Hans R. Schöler ◽  
Stefan Schlatt
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Germ Line ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Spermatogonial Stem Cells ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Animal Reproduction ◽  
Cell Niche ◽  
Insight Into

In recent years, the scientific community has become increasingly interested in spermatogonia. Methodological breakthroughs, such as germ cell transplantation and spermatogonial culture combined with novel germ line transfection strategies, have provided interesting new opportunities for studying the physiology of spermatogonial stem cells and their interaction with the stem cell niche. Furthermore, intense research into pluripotent and adult stem cells has generated new insight into the differentiation pathway of germ line stem cells and has opened new perspectives for stem cell technologies. The present review briefly introduces the physiology of spermatogonial stem cells and discusses future directions of basic research and practical approaches applicable to livestock maintenance and animal reproduction.

scholarly journals Maintenance of Adult Stem Cells: Role of the Stem Cell Niche

2011 ◽  
pp. 35-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshiko Matsumoto ◽  
Hiroko Iwasaki ◽  
Toshio Suda
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Niche

scholarly journals Regulation of Prostatic Stem Cells by Stromal Niche in Health and Disease

Endocrinology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 149 (9) ◽  
pp. 4303-4306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail P. Risbridger ◽  
Renea A. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Tumor Stroma ◽  
Stem Cell Differentiation ◽  
Stem Cell Regulation ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Tissue Recombination ◽  
Cell Niche

The isolation and characterization of prostatic stem cells has received significant attention in the last few years based on the belief that aberrant regulation of adult stem cells leads to prostate disease including cancer. The nature of the perturbations in stem cell regulation remains largely unknown. Although adult stem cells are can be governed by autonomous regulatory mechanisms, the stromal niche environment also provides essential cues to direct directing differentiation decisions and can lead to aberrant proliferation and/or differentiation. Elegant tissue recombination experiments, pioneered by Gerald Cunha and colleagues, provided evidence that quiescent epithelial tissues containing adult stem cells were capable of altered differentiation in response to inductive and instructive mesenchyme. In more recent times, it has been demonstrated that embryonic mesenchyme is sufficiently powerful to direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into mature prostate or bladder. In addition, prostatic tumor stroma provides another unique niche or microenvironment for stem cell differentiation that is distinct to normal stroma. This review highlights the importance of the appropriate selection of the stromal cell niche for tissue regeneration and implies plasticity of adult stem cells that is dictated by the tissue microenvironment.

scholarly journals mRNA-Expression of ERα, ERβ, and PR in Clonal Stem Cell Cultures Obtained from Human Endometrial Biopsies

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 1762-1769 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Schüring ◽  
J. Braun ◽  
S. Wüllner ◽  
L. Kiesel ◽  
M. Götte
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Direct Stimulation ◽  
Regenerative Capacity ◽  
Endometrial Stem Cells ◽  
Proliferation And Differentiation ◽  
Clonal Cultures ◽  
Cell Niche

Background. Proliferation and differentiation of the endometrium are regulated by estrogen and progesterone. The enormous regenerative capacity of the endometrium is thought to be based on the activity of adult stem cells. However, information on endocrine regulatory mechanisms in human endometrial stem cells is scarce. In the present study, we investigated the expression of ERα, ERβ, and PR in clonal cultures of human endometrial stem cells derived from transcervical biopsies.Methods. Endometrial tissue of 11 patients was obtained by transcervical biopsy. Stromal cell suspensions were plated at clonal density and incubated for 15 days. Expression of ERα, ERβand PR was determined by qPCR prior to and after one cloning round, and normalized to 18 S rRNA expression.Results. Expression of ERαand ERβwas downregulated by 64% and 89%, respectively ( and ). In contrast, PR was not significantly downregulated, due to a more heterogenous expression pattern.Conclusions. Culture of human endometrial stroma cells results in a downregulation of ERαand ERβ, while expression of PR remained unchanged in our patient collective. These results support the hypothesis that stem cells may not be subject to direct stimulation by sex steroids, but rather by paracrine mechanisms within the stem cell niche.

scholarly journals Stem cell niche signals Wnt, Hedgehog, and Notch distinctively regulate Drosophila follicle precursor cell differentiation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Dai ◽  
Amy Peterson ◽  
Thomas Kenney ◽  
Denise J. Montell
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Cell Niche

AbstractAdult stem cells commonly give rise to transit-amplifying progenitors, whose progeny differentiate into distinct cell types. Signals within the stem cell niche maintain the undifferentiated state. However it is unclear whether or how niche signals might also coordinate fate decisions within the progenitor pool. Here we use quantitative microscopy to elucidate distinct roles for Wnt, Hedgehog (Hh), and Notch signalling in progenitor development in the Drosophila ovary. Follicle stem cells (FSCs) self-renew and produce precursors whose progeny adopt distinct polar, stalk, and main body cell fates. We show that a steep gradient of Wnt signalling maintains a multipotent state in proximally located progenitor cells by inhibiting expression of the cell fate determinant Eyes Absent (Eya). A shallower gradient of Hh signalling controls the proliferation to differentiation transition. The combination of Notch and Wnt signalling specifies polar cells. These findings reveal a mechanism by which multiple niche signals coordinate cell fate diversification of progenitor cells.

Donor cell leukemia: insight into cancer stem cells and the stem cell niche

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 109 (7) ◽  
pp. 2688-2692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Flynn ◽  
Dan S. Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Donor Cell ◽  
Cell Leukemia ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Hematopoietic Microenvironment ◽  
Cell Niche ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Donor Cell Leukemia

Abstract Donor cell leukemia (DCL) is a rare complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Its incidence has been reported between 0.12% and 5%, although the majority of cases are anecdotal. The mechanisms of leukemogenesis in DCL may be distinct from other types of leukemia. Possible causes of DCL include oncogenic alteration or premature aging of transplanted donor cells in an immunosuppressed person. Although many studies have recently better characterized leukemic stem cells, it is important to also consider that both intrinsic cell factors and external signals from the hematopoietic microenvironment govern the developmental fate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Therefore, in cases of DCL, alteration of the microenvironment after HCT may increase the likelihood that some progeny of normal HSCs become leukemic. This complex intercommunication between cells, growth factors, and cytokines in the hematopoietic microenvironment are critical to balance HSC self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation. However, this homeostasis is likely perturbed in the development of DCL, allowing unique insight into the stimuli that regulate normal and potentially abnormal hematopoietic development. In this article, we discuss the possible pathogenesis of DCL, its association with stem cells, and its likely dependence on a less-supportive stem cell niche.

scholarly journals Stem cell research: immortality or a healthy old age?

2004 ◽  
pp. U7-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Mummery
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Embryonic Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell Research ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Human Embryos ◽  
The Media

Stem cell research holds the promise of treatments for many disorders resulting from disease or trauma where one or at most a few cell types have been lost or do not function. In combination with tissue engineering, stem cells may represent the greatest contribution to contemporary medicine of the present century. Progress is however being hampered by the debate on the origin of stem cells, which can be derived from human embryos and some adult tissues. Politics, religious beliefs and the media have determined society's current perception of their relative value while the ethical antipathy towards embryonic stem cells, which require destruction of a human embryo for their derivation, has in many countries biased research towards adult stem cells. Many scientists believe this bias may be premature and basic research on both cell types is still required. The media has created confusion about the purpose of stem cell research: treating chronic ailments or striving for immortality. Here, the scientific state of the art on adult and embryonic stem cells is reviewed as a basis for a debate on whether research on embryonic stem cells is ethically acceptable.

scholarly journals Spermatogonial stem cell regulation and spermatogenesis

2010 ◽  
Vol 365 (1546) ◽  
pp. 1663-1678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart T. Phillips ◽  
Kathrin Gassei ◽  
Kyle E. Orwig
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Spermatogonial Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell Biology ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Stem Cell Regulation ◽  
Fundamental Investigation

This article will provide an updated review of spermatogonial stem cells and their role in maintaining the spermatogenic lineage. Experimental tools used to study spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) will be described, along with research using these tools to enhance our understanding of stem cell biology and spermatogenesis. Increased knowledge about the biology of SSCs improves our capacity to manipulate these cells for practical application. The chapter concludes with a discussion of future directions for fundamental investigation and practical applications of SSCs.

scholarly journals 022.Spermatogonial stem cells: from basic research to clinical applications

2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
S. Schlatt
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Germ Cell ◽  
Cell Transplantation ◽  
Basic Research ◽  
Testicular Tissue ◽  
Spermatogonial Stem Cells ◽  
Immunodeficient Mice ◽  
Germ Cell Transplantation ◽  
Oncological Patients

The testis contains undifferentiated spermatogonia and is therefore the only adult organ populated with proliferating germline cells. Whereas the biology of these cells is quite well understood in rodents, their modes of mitotic expansion and differentiation are poorly understood in primates. The existence of these cells offers clinically relevant options for preservation and restoration of male fertility. New approaches based on male germ cell transplantation and testicular tissue grafting can be applied to generate a limited number of sperm and could therefore be considered as important new avenues applicable to a variety of disciplines like animal conservation, genetic germline modification or restoration of fertility in oncological patients. In principle, germ cell transplantation presents a removal of the stem cell from the donor's niche and a transfer into the niche of a recipient. Grafting can be considered as a transplantation of the stem cell in conjunction with its niche. Germ cell transplantation of human spermatogonia into mouse testes revealed that the stem cells survive and expand but are not able to differentiate and complete spermatogenesis. We have developed an approach to infuse germ cells into monkey and human testes and showed that germ cell transplantation is feasible as an autologous approach in primates. Furthermore, we applied germ cell transplantation in the monkey model mimicking a gonadal protection strategy for oncological patients. Ectopic xenografting of testicular tissue was applied to generate fertile sperm from a variety of species. Newborn testicular tissue was grafted into the back skin of immunodeficient mice and developed up to qualitatively complete spermatogenesis. The rapid progress in the development of novel experimental strategies to generate sperm from cryopreserved spermatogonial stem cells or immature testicular tissue will lead to many new options for germline manipulation and fertility preservation.

scholarly journals The role of physical cues in the development of stem cell-derived organoids

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilaria Tortorella ◽  
Chiara Argentati ◽  
Carla Emiliani ◽  
Sabata Martino ◽  
Francesco Morena
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Cell Specification ◽  
Cell Niche ◽  
Structure Complexity

AbstractOrganoids are a novel three-dimensional stem cells’ culture system that allows the in vitro recapitulation of organs/tissues structure complexity. Pluripotent and adult stem cells are included in a peculiar microenvironment consisting of a supporting structure (an extracellular matrix (ECM)-like component) and a cocktail of soluble bioactive molecules that, together, mimic the stem cell niche organization. It is noteworthy that the balance of all microenvironmental components is the most critical step for obtaining the successful development of an accurate organoid instead of an organoid with heterogeneous morphology, size, and cellular composition. Within this system, mechanical forces exerted on stem cells are collected by cellular proteins and transduced via mechanosensing—mechanotransduction mechanisms in biochemical signaling that dictate the stem cell specification process toward the formation of organoids. This review discusses the role of the environment in organoids formation and focuses on the effect of physical components on the developmental system. The work starts with a biological description of organoids and continues with the relevance of physical forces in the organoid environment formation. In this context, the methods used to generate organoids and some relevant published reports are discussed as examples showing the key role of mechanosensing–mechanotransduction mechanisms in stem cell-derived organoids.

scholarly journals Stemness in Cancer: Stem Cells, Cancer Stem Cells, and Their Microenvironment

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro M. Aponte ◽  
Andrés Caicedo
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cancer Stem Cells ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Differentiated Cells ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Cell Niche

Stemness combines the ability of a cell to perpetuate its lineage, to give rise to differentiated cells, and to interact with its environment to maintain a balance between quiescence, proliferation, and regeneration. While adult Stem Cells display these properties when participating in tissue homeostasis, Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) behave as their malignant equivalents. CSCs display stemness in various circumstances, including the sustaining of cancer progression, and the interaction with their environment in search for key survival factors. As a result, CSCs can recurrently persist after therapy. In order to understand how the concept of stemness applies to cancer, this review will explore properties shared between normal and malignant Stem Cells. First, we provide an overview of properties of normal adult Stem Cells. We thereafter elaborate on how these features operate in CSCs. We then review the organization of microenvironment components, which enables CSCs hosting. We subsequently discuss Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells (MSCs), which, although their stemness properties are limited, represent essential components of the Stem Cell niche and tumor microenvironment. We next provide insights of the therapeutic strategies targeting Stem Cell properties in tumors and the use of state-of-the-art techniques in future research. Increasing our knowledge of the CSCs microenvironment is key to identifying new therapeutic solutions.

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