• PMID: 20590666
• Gene Name: ITGA6
• Condition: Obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia
• Association: SSCs derived from OA and NOA patients proliferated and maintained their characteristics for more than 12 passages (>6 months) in vitro. Moreover, the population of cells positive for the SSC-specific markers GFRalpha-1 and integrin alpha6, increased to mo
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Associated genes: GFRalpha-1, integrin alpha6
• Other associated phenotypes: Obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia

Long-term proliferation and characterization of human spermatogonial stem cells obtained from obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia under exogenous feeder-free culture conditions

Lim JJ, Sung SY, Kim HJ, Song SH, Hong JY, Yoon TK, Kim JK, Kim KS, Lee DR.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to improve efficiency of isolation and to optimize proliferative potential of human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) obtained from obstructive azoospermic (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermic (NOA) patients, and further, to characterize these cells for potential use in infertility treatment or study of reproductive biology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have applied a cell-sorting method, using collagen and magnetic activated cell separation to overcome obstacles, developing a collection system, and simple long-term proliferation system, that yields large numbers of high-purity SSCs from obstructive OA and NOA patients. RESULTS: SSCs derived from OA and NOA patients proliferated and maintained their characteristics for more than 12 passages (>6 months) in vitro. Moreover, the population of cells positive for the SSC-specific markers GFRalpha-1 and integrin alpha6, increased to more than 80% at passage 8. CONCLUSION: These finding may support the idea that in vitro propagation of SSCs could be a useful tool for infertility treatment and study of reproductive biology. FAU - Lim, J J AU - Lim JJ AD - Fertility Center, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, CHA University, Seoul, Korea. FAU - Sung, S-Y AU - Sung SY FAU - Kim, H J AU - Kim HJ FAU - Song, S-H AU - Song SH FAU - Hong, J Y AU - Hong JY FAU - Yoon, T K AU - Yoon TK FAU - Kim, J K AU - Kim JK FAU - Kim, K-S AU - Kim KS