ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of growth factors on the survival and proliferation of human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>SSCs were treated with the growth factors SCF, LIF and bFGF added to the culture, each at the concentrations of 0, 5, 10 and 20 microg/L and repeated three times. The survival time and proliferation rate of the cells were determined every 8-12 hours and their morphological features observed with the light microscope and electron microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The survival time and proliferation rate of the SSCs were significantly increased in the treated groups as compared with the control (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The growth factors SCF, LIF and bFGF can promote the survival and proliferation of SSCs in vitro.</p>