Stem Cells in Reproductive Medicine

Infertility is a major medical problem which affects 10-15% of couples worldwide. Currently, there is no treatment to be applicable in all infertile cases, for example infertile women with no oocyte or azoospermai men do not have opportunity to be biologically parents. In this regard, stem cells have opened new avenue for infertility treatments by providing unlimited source of gametes in vitro. It has been reported that mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs)-derived primordial germ cells (PGCs) restore spermatogenesis in infertile mouse testis and contribute to new offspring. Moreover, ESC-derived PGCs produced functional oocytes following aggregation with embryonic gonadal somatic cells and transplantation to mouse ovaries.A serious challenge in germ cell research is that there are low number of germ cells in male and female gonads. Limitations in access to this source of cells is main challenge for studying diverse mechanisms involved in germ cells development and function. Stem cells have the ability for providing an unlimited source of germ cells in the laboratory that provides sufficient material for studying mechanisms underlying reproduction and infertility. Such information would enable us to develop advanced therapies for infertile couples.Newly discovered oogonial stem cells are promising for women with low quality oocytes or who cannot produce oocytes. Oogonial stem cells are proposed to be responsible for neo-oogenesis in mammalian ovaries after birth. These data together emphasize the critical role of stem cells in the future of reproductive medicine.

کلیدواژه ها:

Gamete ، Germ Cells ، Infertility treatments ، Oogonial stem cells ، Reproductive medicine