P.I. Responsible: Carlos Simón, MD, PhD
PhD student: Marcia Riboldi
Lab. Technician: Sebastian Martinez
Research Description
Obtaining human cell lines from testicular biopsies for preservation of the fertility.
Sperm generated in the adult male gonads from a small germinal stem cell population. This gametes formation process, called spermatogenesis is initiated in the puberty, although its origin is already established during fetal development, when present immature germinal cells in the space extraembryonic proliferate and emigrate to the interior of the gonads. Here, the germinal cells are lodged in the basal membrane of the seminiferous tubules and they differentiate toward spermatogonial, which maintain their capacity of proliferation and of gamete formation during all the life of the individual. Recent studies show the presence of pluripotent cells in the adult human testicle. The importance of these cells resides in their capacity to perpetuate indefinitely and to maintain the capacity of differentiation toward spermatozoa, conserving therefore their characteristics of germinal origin. These cells can be isolated in the laboratory from testicular biopsies making use of antibodies and selective matrices for further cultivation, expanded and maintained in vitro for extended periods of up to 6 months. The present project intends to generate pluripotent human germ line from testicular biopsies carried out in a routine way in patients with obstructive azoospermia, and to test its capacity for the processing of the Male Infertility. The medium-term objective is to develop a methodology that can be offered children affected by cancer submitted to chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which causes an irreversible stop in the production of spermatozoa and therefore infertility. Testicular pluripotent cell lines obtained from the patient before the treatment could be used in autologous transplants after the therapy to revive the spermatogenesis, surpassing thus the infertility caused by the anticancer treatment.
Posted Items
Riboldi, M. Simon, C.
Extraembryonic tissues as a source of stem cells.
Gynecological Endocrinology (2009) 25(6): 351–355.
Medrano JV , Marqués-Marí AI , Aguilar CE , Riboldi M , Garrido N, Martínez-Romero A, O´Connor E, Gil-Salom M and Simón C.
Comparative analysis of the germ cell markers c-KIT, SSEA-1 and VASA in testicular biopsies from secretory and obstructive azoospermia.
Molecular Human Reproduction (In press)
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