Stem cells and organs-on-chips: new promising technologies for human infertility treatment

Endocr Rev. 2021 Dec 30:bnab047. doi: 10.1210/endrev/bnab047. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTHaving biological children remains an unattainable dream for most couples with reproductive failure or gonadal dysgenesis. The combination of stem cells with gene editing technology and organ-on-a-chip models provides unique opportunity for infertile patients with impaired gametogenesis caused by congenital disorders in sex development or cancer survivors. But, how will these technologies overcome human infertility? This review discusses the regenerative mechanisms, applications and advantages of different types of stem cells for restoring gametogenesis in infertile patients, as well as major challenges that must be overcome prior to clinical application. The importance and limitations of in vitro generation of gametes from patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) will be discussed in the context of human reproduction. The potential role of organ-on-a-chip models that can direct differentiation of hiPSCs-derived primordial germ cell-like cells to gametes and other reproductive organoids is also explored. These rapidly evolving technologies provide future prospects for improving fertility to individuals and couples who experience reproductive failure.PMID:34967858 | DOI:10.1210/endrev/bnab047
Source: ENDOCR REV - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Source Type: research