Advances of Three-dimensional (3D) Culture Systems for in Vitro Spermatogenesis

Overview

Journal Stem Cell Res Ther

Publisher Biomed Central

Date 2023 Sep 22

PMID 37735437

Authors

Maryam Salem

Farnaz Khadivi

Parinaz Javanbakht

Sina Mojaverrostami

Mehdi Abbasi

Narjes Feizollahi

Yasaman Abbasi

Ehsan Heidarian

Farzane Rezaei Yazdi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The loss of germ cells and spermatogenic failure in non-obstructive azoospermia are believed to be the main causes of male infertility. Laboratory studies have used in vitro testicular models and different 3-dimensional (3D) culture systems for preservation, proliferation and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in recent decades. The establishment of testis-like structures would facilitate the study of drug and toxicity screening, pathological mechanisms and in vitro differentiation of SSCs which resulted in possible treatment of male infertility. The different culture systems using cellular aggregation with self-assembling capability, the use of different natural and synthetic biomaterials and various methods for scaffold fabrication provided a suitable 3D niche for testicular cells development. Recently, 3D culture models have noticeably used in research for their architectural and functional similarities to native microenvironment. In this review article, we briefly investigated the recent 3D culture systems that provided a suitable platform for male fertility preservation through organ culture of testis fragments, proliferation and differentiation of SSCs.

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