Male infertility can now be treated using bone marrow stem cells! A new research has examined it with promising results. The germ cells’ (precursors of sperm) failed proliferation and differentiation, and dysfunction of the supporting cells can lead to infertility in men.
The new research is banking on stem cells for replacing nonfunctioning cells ‘ which may be either germ cells or supporting cells. Appearing in the March issue of The American Journal of Pathology, the related report by Lue et al said,
Fate of bone marrow stem cells transplanted into the testis: potential implication for men with testicular failure.
The new study reveals that bone marrow stem cells can potentially differentiate into testes cells involved in sperm production — both germ cells and supporting cells. It is found that the germ cells did not differentiate fully into sperm! This suggests the need for additional factors or cellular signals.
Studies into it in the future would characterize the other factors, such as
‘ hormones required to complete sperm production.
‘ which specific stem cell type was able to colonize and differentiate in the testes.
The results of these future studies could be groundbreaking for treating male infertility or testosterone deficiency.