Advances in human In vitro spermatogenesis: A review

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Reproductive Biology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Male infertility affects 15% of couples, with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) presenting a significant challenge.
• Current treatments for NOA, like surgical sperm retrieval and IVF-ICSI, have limited success rates.
• A need exists for novel regenerative therapies to address male infertility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of in vitro spermatogenesis (IVS) as a regenerative therapeutic approach for male infertility.
• To investigate the advantages of 3D technologies over 2D cultures for advancing IVS.
• To highlight the multidisciplinary nature of IVS development.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent advances in 3D technologies for IVS, including organotypic cultures, scaffolds, organoids, microfluidics, testis-on-a-chip, and bioprinting.
• Comparison of 3D approaches with traditional 2D cell cultures for germ cell differentiation and maturation.
• Analysis of the role of cell-cell communication and native cytoarchitecture mimicry in 3D IVS models.

Main Results:

• 3D technologies offer improved spatial arrangement and cell-cell communication compared to 2D cultures, facilitating germ cell differentiation.
• Various 3D techniques show potential for advancing IVS and regenerative treatment strategies.
• Successful, replicable, and safe IVS for humans requires further technological development.

Conclusions:

• In vitro spermatogenesis (IVS) holds significant promise as a future regenerative therapy for male infertility, particularly for non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA).
• 3D technologies are crucial for overcoming limitations of 2D cultures by better mimicking the testicular environment.
• Continued multidisciplinary research integrating tissue engineering, molecular biology, and reproductive medicine is essential for realizing clinical applications of IVS.