Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026
12:26
Serial Enrichment of Spermatogonial Stem and Progenitor Cells (SSCs) in Culture for Derivation of Long-term Adult Mouse SSC Lines
Published on: February 25, 2013
Functional hierarchy and reversibility within the murine spermatogenic stem cell compartment
Toshinori Nakagawa1, Manju Sharma, Yo-ichi Nabeshima
1Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 20, 2010
Summary
Mouse spermatogenesis involves stem cells that are not homogeneous. Cysts can fragment and regain stem cell potential, revealing reversible differentiation paths during regeneration.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Stem cell research
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Spermatogenesis relies on stem cells to maintain sperm production.
- Current models propose a homogeneous stem cell population and linear, irreversible differentiation.
- Cellular cysts are thought to represent a committed differentiation state.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the heterogeneity of the stem cell population in mouse spermatogenesis.
- To determine the developmental plasticity of spermatogonial cysts.
- To analyze stem cell behavior during regeneration after damage.
Main Methods:
- Lineage tracing analysis in mice.
- Live imaging of spermatogenesis.
- Assessment of stem cell behavior during regenerative processes.
Main Results:
- The stem cell pool is a subpopulation within single spermatogonia, not homogeneous.
- Spermatogonial cysts are not terminally differentiated and can fragment to restore stem cell potential.
- Stem cell fate is significantly altered during regeneration following injury.
Conclusions:
- Spermatogenesis involves a heterogeneous stem cell population with multiple, reversible differentiation pathways.
- Stem cell plasticity and reversible differentiation may be common in other self-renewing tissues.
- The established model of linear and irreversible differentiation in spermatogenesis requires revision.
More Related Videos
09:59Transillumination-Assisted Dissection of Specific Stages of the Mouse Seminiferous Epithelial Cycle for Downstream Immunostaining Analyses
Published on: October 7, 2020
10:22Enrichment of Pachytene Spermatocytes and Spermatids from Mouse Testes Using Standard Laboratory Equipment
Published on: September 17, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:41Spermatogenesis
Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male reproductive...
01:22Spermatogenesis
Spermatogenesis is a complex process that involves the development of sperm cells from undifferentiated stem cells in the seminiferous tubules of the testes. The process is essential for the production of mature and functional sperm cells that are capable of fertilizing an egg.
The process of spermatogenesis can be divided into mitosis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis. During mitosis, the spermatogonia or stem cells divide to produce two identical daughter cells, type A and B spermatogonia. Type-A...
The process of spermatogenesis can be divided into mitosis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis. During mitosis, the spermatogonia or stem cells divide to produce two identical daughter cells, type A and B spermatogonia. Type-A...
01:06Multipotency and Niche of Bulge Stem Cell
A hair follicle or HF is a small part of the skin that produces the hair shaft. Paul Gerson Unna was the first to observe a bulge in the human hair follicle's outer root sheath (ORS). The bulge is present between the sebaceous gland and the arrector pili muscle and is the niche for hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). The bulge is also a niche for melanocyte stem cells, and their loss results in graying of hair. The HFSCs express Sox9 and Lhx2, which help them maintain stemness and prevent...
01:19Multipotency of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
The hematopoietic stem cells or HSCs are multipotent, meaning they can differentiate and give rise to all blood and immune cells. HSCs are maintained in the quiescent stage until an external stimulus initiates their differentiation. The multipotent HSCs exist as two heterogeneous populations, long-term repopulating cells (LTRC) and short-term repopulating cells (STRC). The two HSC populations have different surface markers or receptors and are classified based on quiescence and long-term...
01:14Maintenance of the ES Cell State
The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...
01:27Source And Potency Of Stem Cells
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with extensive self-renewal properties that help them maintain their population during the fetal and adult stages of life. They can specialize in all cell types of the human body. However, their differential potential may vary and can be classified into five types. Stem cells can be (1) Totipotent, (2) Pluripotent, (3) Multipotent, (4) Oligopotent, and (5) Unipotent. Each stem cell has a specific origin; the fertilized egg or zygote is a totipotent cell and...