雖然ATCC細胞于在正常發育過程中產生細胞，但來自幾個方面的證據都表明，它們在適當條件下可成為多能細胞。現在，這些條件已被發現。從來自成人未成熟人細胞開始，Conrad等人確定了可像人胚胎干細胞一樣被操縱和分化的細胞系。這些細胞可被穩定地分化成為分泌胰島素的細胞或肌性細胞系、成骨細胞系和與神經細胞相似的細胞系。當在皮下移植時，這些細胞會在小鼠身上形成畸胎瘤，這是它們具有多能性的進一步證據，也反映了這些細胞在再生治療中所具有的潛力。
Nature 456, 344-349 (20 November 2008) | doi:10.1038/nature07404
Generation of pluripotent stem cells from adult human testis
Sabine Conrad1, Markus Renninger3, J?rg Hennenlotter3, Tina Wiesner1, Lothar Just1, Michael Bonin4, Wilhelm Aicher5,6, Hans-J?rg Bühring7, Ulrich Mattheus2, Andreas Mack2, Hans-Joachim Wagner2, Stephen Minger8, Matthias Matzkies9, Michael Reppel9, Jürgen Hescheler9, Karl-Dietrich Sievert3, Arnulf Stenzl3 & Thomas Skula1,6
1 Institute of Anatomy, Department of Experimental Embryology,
2 Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cellular Neurobiology, ?sterbergstrae 3, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
3 Department of Urology, University Clinic Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strae 3, Tübingen 72076, Germany
4 Institute of AnthropologyATCC細胞 and Human genetics, Microarray Facility, University Clinic, Calwerstrae 7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
5 ZMF Research Laboratories, University Clinic Tübingen, Waldh?rnlestrae 22, 72072 Tübingen, Germany
6 Center for Regenerative BioLogy and Medicine (ZRM), Paul-Ehrlich-Strae 15, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
7 Department of Internal Medicine II, University Clinic Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Strae 10, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
8 Stem Cell Biology Laboratory, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, King's College, London SE1 1UL, UK
9 Institute of Neurophysiology, University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Strae 39, 50931 Cologne, Germany
Abstract
Human primordial germ cells and mouse neonatal and adult germline stem cells are pluripotent and show similar properties to embryonic stem cells. Here we report the successful establishment of human adult germline stem cells derived from spermatogonial cells of adult human testis. Cellular and molecular characterization of these cells revealed many similarities to human embryonic stem cells, and the germline stem cells produced teratomas after transplantation into immunodeficient mice. The human adult germline stem cells differentiated into various types of somatic cells of all three germ layers when grown under conditions used to induce the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. We conclude that the generation of human adult germline stem cells from testicular biopsies may provide simple and non-controversial access to individual cell-based therapy without the ethical and immunological ATCC細胞problems associated with human embryonic stem cells.