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A brief history of testicular organoids: from theory to the wards

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Abstract

In recent years, researchers have successfully generated many human and mammalian organoid models, including organoids representing the intestine, prostate, ovary, bladder, liver, and brain. Therefore, organoids have become an important research model in the fields of regenerative medicine, drug research, and gene therapy, acting as a bridge between in vivo and in vitro experiments. In addition, testicular organoids (TOs) represent the highest level of in vitro culture of spermatogenic cells in a simulated testicular environment. However, the generation of TOs is still in the early stages, and there is still much room for improvement in dealing with the many challenges and prospects to achieve the goal of TOs that simulate the testicular microenvironment in vitro or even reconstruct the process of spermatogenesis without the need to reconstruct seminiferous tubules. We review the brief history of TO generation and some major strategies for functional applications of TOs, which are the main concerns of our clinicians and laboratory researchers.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all our comrades and friends for their support related to this work.

Funding

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC1005002), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFC1004900), and The Family Planning Program of Military Medical Innovation Project of PLA (18JS003).

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Author notes

  1. YAN Hongli and GE Xuemei contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Naval Military Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    WANG Nengzhuang, SHEN Jiaming, L. I. U. Minghua, MA Long, Q. I. N. Lina & Y. A. N. Hongli

  2. Department of Reproductive Medical Center, School of Medicine, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

    SHEN Jiaming

  3. Department of Clinical Laboratory, Beidaihe Rehabilitation and Recuperation Center of PLA, Qinhuangdao, China

    MA Long

  4. Shanghai Outdo Biotech Co., Ltd., Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    G. E. Xuemei

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Contributions

WANG Nengzhuang, SHEN Jiaming, LIU Minghua, MA Long, QIN Lina, GE Xuemei, and YAN Hongli designed this paper; WANG Nengzhuang wrote the paper and made the picture; WANG Nengzhuang and SHEN Jiaming revised the paper. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to G. E. Xuemei or Y. A. N. Hongli.

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All authors named have participated in the work in a substantive way and are prepared to take public responsibility for the work. The manuscript being submitted to this journal has never been published and that it is not being submitted for publication elsewhere. The authors declare no competing interests.

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Nengzhuang, W., Jiaming, S., Minghua, L.I.U. et al. A brief history of testicular organoids: from theory to the wards. J Assist Reprod Genet 39, 1423–1431 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-022-02529-6

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