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Advances of Three-Dimensional (3D) Culture Systems for in Vitro Spermatogenesis Publisher Pubmed



Salem M1 ; Khadivi F2, 3 ; Javanbakht P1 ; Mojaverrostami S1 ; Abbasi M1 ; Feizollahi N1 ; Abbasi Y4 ; Heidarian E1 ; Rezaei Yazdi F1
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
  2. 2. Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
  4. 4. School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Source: Stem Cell Research and Therapy Published:2023


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. © 2023, BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
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