• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.15-16
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• 2007

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2013

Spermatogenesis is initiated from spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) that has an ability of self-renewal and unipotency to generate differentiating germ cells. The objective of this study is to develop the simple method for derivation of SSCs using non-sorting of both spermatogonia and feeder cells. Simply uncapsulated mouse testes were treated with enzymes followed by surgical mincing, and single cells were cultured in stempro-$34^{TM}$ cell culture media at $37^{\circ}C$. After 5 days of culture, aciniform of SSC colony was observed, and showed a strong alkaline phosphatase activity. Molecular characterization of mouse SSCs showed that most of the mouse SSC markers such as integrin ${\alpha}6$ and ${\beta}1$, CD9 and Stra8. In addition, pluripotency embryonic stem cell (ESC) marker Oct4 were expressed, however Sox2 expression was lowered. Interestingly, expression of SSC markers such as Vasa, Dazl and PLZF were stronger than mouse ESC (mESC). This data suggest that generated mouse SSCs (mSSCs) in this study has at least similar biomarkers expression to mESC and mSSCs derived from other study. Immunocytochemistry using whole mSSC colony also confirmed that mSSCs generated from this study expressed SSC specific biomarkers such as c-kit, Thy1, Vasa and Dazl. In conclusion, mSSCs from 5 days old mouse testes were successfully established without sorting of spermatogonia, and this cells expressed both mESC and SSC specific biomarkers. This simple derivation method for mSSCs may facilitate the study of spermatogenesis.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.38-38
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• 2001

Spermatogonial stem cells은 sperrnatogenesis에서 중요한 역할을 하며, 곡세정관의 기저막에 위치하고 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 그러나, 그 동안 이 세포에 특이하게 발현되는 marker가 거의 알려져 있지 않아 spermatogonial stem cell의 연구에 많은 어려움을 가져왔다. 최근 일반적인 stem cell이 갖는 특성 중, 기저막과 상호작용을 하는 surface protein으로 integrin이 존재한다는 사실을 이용하여, anti-$\alpha$$_{6}$/ 또는 anti-$\beta$$_1$ integrin항체로 germ cell을 선발하여 정소에 이식한 결과, 높은 효율로 이식세포유래의 정자발생이 가능하다는 결과가 보고되었다 (Shinohara et al., 1999). 한편, 항암제의 일종인 busulfan을 마우스에 투여(40mg/kg)한 후 4-5주가 경과하면 세정관의 기저막에 위치하는 spermatogonia를 제외하고 대부분의 생식세포는 소멸한다 본 실험의 목적은 이러한 사실들을 이용하여 spermatogonial stem cell의 특성을 밝히고, 이 생식세포를 보다 간편하고 손쉽게 선발할 수 있는 시스템을 확립하는데 있다. Busulfan처리 후 5주가 경과된 마우스와 정상적인 13주령의 마우스 testis로부터 세포를 분리한 후 FITC-conjugated anti-IgG를 이용한 면역형광법으로 측정.분석한 결과, 형광표식된 세포비율이 대조군과 비교하여 busulfan을 처리한 경우에서 유의적인 증가를 보였다.(17$\pm$3.8%. 0.7$\pm$0.3% busulfan vs control). 또한, IgG와 결합한 단백질이 존재하는 이들 세포들은 곡세정관의 기저막을 따라 위치하며, 단백질과 복합체를 형성한 IgG는 anti-Ig $G_{2a}$와 반응하지 않는다는 사실을 관찰했다. 이러한 IgG 복합체를 형성한 세포들의 특성을 이용하여, IgG와 반응을 하지 않는 것으로 확인된 이차 항체인 an1i-Ig $G_{2}$와 일차 항체인 anti-$\alpha$$_{6}$ 또는 anti-$\beta$$_1$ integrin항체를 이용하여 측정.분석하였다. Busulfan을 처리한 마우스 정소에서 분리한 세포를 다시 laminin으로 코팅된 dish에서 선발.회수해서, anti-lgG, anti-$\alpha$$_{6}$ 또는 anti-$\beta$$_1$ integrin항체로 각각 표식된 세포비율을 비교하였다. Laminin으로부터 선발.회수한 세포에서는 IgG복합체가 $\alpha$$_{6}$ 또 는 $\beta$$_1$integrin과 거의 같은 수준에서 높은 비율로 표식되었다. 결론적으로, busulfan에 의해 유도된 IgG와 결합가능한 단백질은 $\alpha$$_{6}$나 $\beta$$_1$ integrin과 마찬가지로 immunoglobulin G를 이용하여 spermatogonial stem cell의 선발을 가능하게 했다. 따라서, busulfan처리시 IgG는 미분화된 정조세포의 선발을 위한 하나의 marker로서 사용가능함을 시사한다.다.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2014

Despite that porcine spermatogonial stem cells (pSSCs) have been regarded as a practical tool for preserving eternally genetic backgrounds derived from pigs with high performance in the economic traits or phenotypes of specific human diseases, there were no reports about precise definition of niche conditions promoting proliferation and maintenance of pSSCs. Accordingly, we tried to determine niche conditions supporting proliferation and maintenance of undifferentiated pSSCs for short-term. For these, undifferentiated pSSCs were progressively cultured in different composition of culture medium, seeding density of pSSCs, type of feeder cells and concentration of growth factors, and then total number of and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity of pSSCs were investigated at post-6 day culture. As the results, the culture of $4{\times}10^5$ pSSCs on mitotically in activated $2{\times}10^5$ STO cells in the mouse embryonic stem cell culture medium (mESCCM) supplemented with 30 ng/ml glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was identified as the best niche condition supporting effectively the short-term maintenance of undifferentiated pSSCs. Moreover, the optimized short-term culture system will be a basis for developing long-term culture system of pSSCs in the following researches.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2009

The present study identified the favorable conditions for isolation, enrichment and in vitro culture of highly purified, undifferentiated pig spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) lines that proliferate for long periods of time in culture. The colonies displayed morphology similar to miceSSC and were positive for markers of SSC (PGP9.5), proliferating germ cell (PigVASA), pre-meiotic germ cell (DAZL) and pluripotency (OCT4, SSEA-1, NANOG, and SOX2) based on immuno-cytochemistry and RT-PCR. The purity of these colonies was confirmed by negative expression of markers for sertoli cell (GATA4 and SOX9), peritubular myoid cell (${\alpha}$-SMA), differentiating spermatogonial and germ cells (c-KIT). The colonies could be maintained with undifferentiated morphology for more than two months and passaged more than 8 times with doubling time between 6-7 days. Taken together, we conclude that pigSSC could be successfully isolated and cultured in vitro and they possess characteristics similar to miceSSC.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Embryo Transfer Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.63-65
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• 2002

Identification of spermatogonial stem cell-specific surface molecules is important in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the maintenance and differentiation of these cells. We have found that spermatogonia from busulfan treated mice expressed an autoantigen that distinguishes between undifferentiated and differentiated spermatogonia. Four to six weeks after busulfan treatment, germ cells located in the basal compartment of seminiferous epithelium show isotype-specific IgG deposits that form due to autoimmunity. Before busulfan treatment, the level of testicular IgG was very low but IgG levels began to increase after week 4 and peaked at week 6. When cells from the busulfan treated testis were analyzed using laser scanning cytomeoy (LSC), the frequency of cells positive for IgG deposits, 6-integrin, and 1-integrin were 16.5${\pm}$3.8%, 11.8${\pm}$2.6%, and 9.0${\pm}$ 1.4%, respectively. Immunofluorescent staining suggested that most, if not all of the cells with IgG-deposits isolated from a laminin-coated dish, were also positive for a spermatogonial stem cell marker \ulcorner6-integrins as well as for a germ cell-specific marker TRA 98. We determined serum and intratesticular IgG levels and the soundness of seminiferous tubule basement membrane from busulfan treated mice using electron microscopy, in order to study the mechanism responsible for IgG deposits in spermatogonia. We found that the basement membranes of seminiferous tubules from busulfan treated mice were severely impaired when compared to those of normal adult, neonates and w/wv mice. Furthermore, new blood cells were observed in the surface of the damaged basement membrane along the seminiferous tubules. These results suggest that the IgG in spermatogonial stem cells accumulates from circulating blood through the impaired basement membranes induced by busulfan treatment. Taken together, our study suggests that IgG can be used as a new marker for undifferentiated spermatogonia cells.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.327-336
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• 2018

To date, there are no protocols optimized to the effective separation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) from testicular cells derived from mouse testes, thus hindering studies based on mouse SSCs. In this study, we aimed to determine the most efficient purification method for the isolation of SSCs from mouse testes among previously described techniques. Isolation of SSCs from testicular cells derived from mouse testes was conducted using four different techniques: differential plating (DP), magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) post-DP, MACS, and positive and negative selection double MACS. DP was performed for 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 h, and MACS was performed using EpCAM ($MACS^{EpCAM}$), Thy1 ($MACS^{Thy1}$), or GFR ${\alpha}1$ ($MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$) antibodies. The purification efficiency of each method was analyzed by measuring the percentage of cells that stained positively for alkaline phosphatase. DP for 8 h, $MACS^{Thy1}$ post-DP for 8 h, $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$, positive selection double $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1/EpCAM}$, and negative selection double $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1/{\alpha}-SMA}$ were identified as the optimal protocols for isolation of SSCs from mouse testicular cells. Comparison of the purification efficiencies of the optimized isolation protocols showed that, numerically, the highest purification efficiency was obtained using $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$. Overall, our results indicate that $MACS^{GFR{\alpha}1}$ is an appropriate purification technique for the isolation of SSCs from mouse testicular cells.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.211-215
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• 2008

The HMG box containing protein (HBP) has a high mobility group domain and involved in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of tissues. We screened HBP2 in glioblastoma using Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) and isolated human spermatogonial stem cell-like cells (hSSC-like cells) derived from patients of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). Expression of HBP2 was analyzed by RT-PCR in undifferentiated stem cells (human Embryonic Stem Cells, hSSC-like cells 2P) and spontaneous differentiated stem cells (hSSC-like cells 4P). It was overexpressed in hESC and hSSC-like cells 2P but not in hSSC-like cells 4P. Also, the expression level of HBP2 was downregulated in colon tumor tissues compared to normal tissues. Specifically in synchronized WI-38 cells, HBP2 was highly upregulated until the G1 phase of the cell cycle and gradually decreased during the S phase. Our results suggest that HBP2 was downregulated during the spontaneous differentiation of hSSC-like cells. HBP2 was differently expressed in colon tissues and was related to G1-progression in WI-38 cells. It may playa role in the maintenance of an undifferentiated hSSC-like cell state and transits from G1 to S in WI-38 cells. This research was important that it identified a biomarker for an undifferentiated state of hSSC-like cells and characterized its involvement to arrest during cell cycle in colon cancer.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1398-1406
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• 2016

In general, the seminiferous tubule basement membrane (STBM), comprising laminin, collagen IV, perlecan, and entactin, plays an important role in self-renewal and spermatogenesis of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in the testis. However, among the diverse extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins constituting the STBM, the mechanism by which each regulates SSC fate has yet to be revealed. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of various ECM proteins on the maintenance of the undifferentiated state of SSCs in pigs. First, an extracellular signaling-free culture system was optimized, and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity and transcriptional regulation of SSC-specific genes were analyzed in porcine SSCs (pSSCs) cultured for 1, 3, and 5 days on non-, laminin- and collagen IV-coated Petri dishes in the optimized culture system. The microenvironment consisting of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)-supplemented mouse embryonic stem cell culture medium (mESCCM) (GDNF-mESCCM) demonstrated the highest efficiency in the maintenance of AP activity. Moreover, under the established extracellular signaling-free microenvironment, effective maintenance of AP activity and SSC-specific gene expression was detected in pSSCs experiencing laminin-derived signaling. From these results, we believe that laminin can serve as an extracellular niche factor required for the in vitro maintenance of undifferentiated pSSCs in the establishment of the pSSC culture system.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.654-670
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• 2022

Spermatogenesis and testis development are highly structured physiological processes responsible for post-pubertal fertility in stallions. Spermatogenesis comprises spermatocytogenesis, meiosis, and spermiogenesis. Although germ cell degeneration is a continuous process, its effects are more pronounced during spermatocytogenesis and meiosis. The productivity and efficiency of spermatogenesis are directly linked to pubertal development, degenerated germ cell populations, aging, nutrition, and season of the year in stallions. The multiplex interplay of germ cells with somatic cells, endocrine and paracrine factors, growth factors, and signaling molecules contributes to the regulation of spermatogenesis. A cell-tocell communication within the testes of these factors is a fundamental requirement of normal spermatogenesis. A noteworthy development has been made recently on discovering the effects of different somatic cells including Leydig, Sertoli, and peritubular myoid cells on manipulation the fate of spermatogonial stem cells. In this review, we discuss the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptotic roles of somatic cells and the relationship between somatic and germ cells during normal spermatogenesis. We also summarize the roles of different growth factors, their paracrine/endocrine/autocrine pathways, and the different cytokines associated with spermatogenesis. Furthermore, we highlight important matters for further studies on the regulation of spermatogenesis. This review presents an insight into the mechanism of spermatogenesis, and helpful in developing better understanding of the functions of somatic cells, particularly in stallions and would offer new research goals for developing curative techniques to address infertility/subfertility in stallions.