The March 2016 issue of Cell Stem Cell published a recent breakthrough by a research team led by Professor Sha Jiahao, Director of the National Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine in Nanjing Medical University, and Academician Zhou Qi and Dr. Zhao Xiaoyang from the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team recapitulated the complete meiosis from mouse embryonic stem cell-derived germ cells in vitro which is a crucial process in the generation of functional gametes. This recapitulation of meiosis in spermatogenesis is a milestone in stem cell research and an important progress that brings hope to the reproductionof azoospermia males.
The research team obtained primordial germ cell-like cells through the differentiation of embryonic stem cells in a mixed culture with mouse neonatal testicular somatic cells. Morphogens and sex hormones conducive to sperm production were added sequentially to induce meiosis and differentiate into functional sperms in vitro. During this process, all important meiotic hallmarks were observed, including chromosomal synapsis and recombination, correct allocation of nuclear DNA into haploid cells. The study provided more detailed information of in vitro spermatogenesis and shed light on the corresponding process in vivo. The breakthrough finding was reported by numerous media such as Xinhua News Agency and highly praised by a number of experts including Professor Kyle E. Orwig from the University of Pittsburgh, Assistant Professor Vittorio Sebastiano from Stanford University and Professor Peter Donovan from University of California, Irvine. They gave a highly positive comment: "This is a significant progress in the field of stem cell research and a landmark work."
Link：http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/pdf/S1934-5909(16)00018-7.pdf
Edited by: Zhang Donghui
