Preliminary screening of specific surface markers of human spermatogonial stem cells / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the specific surface markers for the isolation and purification of human spermatogonial stem cells (SSC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Specific markers of human SSC were screened and identified in fetal and adult testes by immunohistochemical assay, using HSC markers c-kit, Thy-1 and human ES integrins.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In human adult testes, the alpha6 integrin extensively and significantly expressed on the surface of most of the germ cells in the seminiferous tubule, and beta1 integrin mainly expressed on the surface of the germ cells residing on or near the basal membrane in the seminiferous tubule. Thy-1 scattering expressed on the surface of some cells of the basal membrane, and on some Leydig cells as well. The three antigen markers expressed on the SSC of human adult testes specifically to some extent. SSEA-1 specifically expressed on the surface of the gonocytes in the fetal testes.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The alpha6 and beta1 integrins and Thy-1 may be used for the SSC isolation as positive markers. SSEA-1 can be used as an identification marker for the fetus SSC.</p>