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Review
. 2020 Oct 26;12(10):1097-1112.
doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v12.i10.1097.

Stem cell-based therapies for fertility preservation in males: Current status and future prospects

Han-Chao Liu  1 , Yun Xie  1 , Chun-Hua Deng  1 , Gui-Hua Liu  2
Affiliations
Review

Stem cell-based therapies for fertility preservation in males: Current status and future prospects

Han-Chao Liu et al. World J Stem Cells. .

Abstract

With the decline in male fertility in recent years, strategies for male fertility preservation have received increasing attention. In this study, by reviewing current treatments and recent publications, we describe research progress in and the future directions of stem cell-based therapies for male fertility preservation, focusing on the use of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), SSC niches, SSC-based testicular organoids, other stem cell types such as mesenchymal stem cells, and stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles. In conclusion, a more comprehensive understanding of the germ cell microenvironment, stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles, and testicular organoids will play an important role in achieving male fertility preservation.

Keywords: Extracellular vesicles; Fertility preservation; Sperm cryopreservation; Spermatogonial stem cell; Stem cell; Testicular organoids.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Current and future strategies for male fertility preservation. Blue arrows indicate normal spermatogenesis; orange arrows indicate clinical applications; grey continuous arrows indicate experimental phases; grey dotted arrows indicate possible future developments. SSCs: Spermatogonial stem cells; MSCs: Mesenchymal stem cells; iPSCs: Induced pluripotent stem cells; ESCs: Embryonic stem cells; USCs: Urine-derived stem cells; EVs: Extracellular vesicles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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