Open AccessInduced pluripotent stem cells in reproductive medicine
Author(s) -
Teramura Takeshi,
Frampton John
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
reproductive medicine and biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.005
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1447-0578
pISSN - 1445-5781
DOI - 10.1007/s12522-012-0141-x
Subject(s) - induced pluripotent stem cell , somatic cell , germ cell , stem cell , reproductive medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , regenerative medicine , cell potency , embryonic stem cell , genetics , pregnancy , gene
Despite recent advances in reproductive medicine, there are still no effective treatments for severe infertility caused by congenital absence of germ cells or gonadotoxic treatments during prepubertal childhood. However, the development of technologies for germ cell formation from stem cells in vitro, induction of pluripotency from somatic cells, and production of patient‐specific pluripotent stem cells may provide new solutions for treating these severe fertility problems. It may be possible to produce germ cells in vitro from our own somatic cells that can be used to restore fertility. In addition, these technologies may also bring about novel therapies by helping to elucidate the mechanisms of human germ cell development. In this review, we describe the current approaches for obtaining germ cells from pluripotent stem cells, and provide basic information about induction of pluripotency and germ cell development.