Science Japanese scientists use iPS cells to mass-generate sperm, egg precursors

[thomas]

In what is seen as a breakthrough in advancing fertility and other reproductive medicine, a research team at Kyoto University has succeeded in mass-generating cells capable of turning into sperm or eggs by using human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The achievement is expected to boost studies in reproductive medicine. The study, released in the digital version of the UK's scientific publication Nature on Monday, significantly increased the count of both male and female early-stage reproductive cells to more than 10 billion times their original number in culture. Previously, acquiring human cells at such an early development phase posed a significant technological hurdle.

The scientists hope their findings will eventually lead to the production of eggs and sperm that are generated from "primordial germ cells" through "pro-spermatogonia" and "oogonia." The team had already developed a scheme to generate reproductive cells by using somatic cells of mice and culturing oogonia, but it was deemed inefficient. This time, the team succeeded in developing oogonia and pro-spermatogonia in two months by using primordial germ cell-like cells and adding bone morphogenetic protein signaling. During a cultural period of about four months, the number of cells rose 10 billion times, and the generation process was relatively simple, the researchers said.

Japan scientists generate precursors to sperm, eggs with iPS cells

Breakthrough seen advancing fertility and other reproductive medicine

asia.nikkei.com

Kyoto University scientists mass-generate cells for sperm, eggs using human iPS - The Mainichi

KYOTO (Kyodo) -- A research team at Kyoto University in western Japan has succeeded in mass-generating cells capable of turning into sperm or eggs by

mainichi.jp