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Updated: May 15, 2026
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
Molecular markers of spermatogonial stem cells in the domestic cat
L M Vansandt1, B S Pukazhenthi, C L Keefer
1Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Abstract:
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) represent an exciting new avenue for assisted reproduction in endangered and genetically valuable species. Before this technology can be applied to wildlife, species-specific markers are required to evaluate SSC enrichment strategies and monitor subsequent in vitro culture. This study was designed to evaluate six conserved SSC markers (THY1, GPR125, GFRalpha1, PLZF, UCHL1 and OCT4) in the cat. Testes from three juveniles and three adults were obtained following routine castrations and processed for mRNA extraction. RT-PCR of whole testis and cell suspensions enriched for SSCs by differential plating confirmed that all six SSC markers are expressed in both the whole testis and SSC-enriched cell fractions. The expression of all six putative SSC marker genes in the cat testis suggests conservation of SSC markers, and perhaps self-renewal mechanisms, in felids.
