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experts comment on research into stem cells derived from human testes, as published in Nature

The research showed that naturally occurring cells in human testes can be induced to form cells that behave like embryonic stem cells and are pluripotent (i.e. they can form any type of cell in the body).

Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, Head of Developmental Genetics Division at MRC National Institute for Medical Research, said:

“This study carried out with human tissue follows on from earlier work in mice showing that stem cells present in testes, which normally only give rise to sperm, can be coaxed by simple cell culture methods back to a state more like embryonic stem (ES) cells that are pluripotent, i.e. able to give all cell types in the body.

“It is important as it suggests a way of obtaining patient-specific cells for research into the causes of genetic disease and perhaps their cures. As the cells will be perfectly matched to the immune system of the donor they may eventually provide material for grafts in cell-based therapies, but it should be noted that the donors will all be male, so the cells would not be so relevant for treating women, although research into diseases could benefit members of both sexes. However, before getting too excited about the work, as the authors themselves acknowledge, several issues have to be explored further. The DNA in the stem cells in the testes lacks some important modifications (genomic imprints) that regulate the activity of certain genes; this may affect the ability of the reprogrammed cells to make specific mature tissue types. The same cells are also the likely origin of testicular tumours, so will the reprogrammed cells, which derive from only a minority of the starting population be entirely normal? The pluripotent cells derived by this method need to be compared in detail to those obtained directly from early embryos, either left over from fertility treatments or made after somatic cell nuclear transfer (therapeutic cloning), and to those made by adding a set of four critical factors (induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells). Important biology will be learned from this comparison, but an answer as to how these testis-derived pluripotent cells can be used will have to be left dangling a little longer.”

Prof Chris Mason, Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing Unit, University College London, said:

“Excellent scientific paper involving a collaboration between leading Germany and UK scientists. Whilst much too early to predict the true impact of this particular paper, it is however, highly likely to add to the growing ground-swell of first-class research that will eventually lead to real benefits for patients, the NHS and to the UK economy.”

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