Chapter 81 – Renal Cells From Spermatogonial Germline Stem Cells for Protection Against Kidney Injury

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are adult stem cells that, when isolated from the mouse testes and cultured, give rise to pluripotent stem cells. These germline cell-derived pluripotent stem cells (GPSCs) have great differentiative potential and are an asset for the future, especially in the regenerative medicine field. Current research is focused on isolating human SSCs for long-term culture in vitro. In this chapter, we will describe the challenges and promises of SSCs, with particular emphasis on the responsiveness of mouse SSCs to the renal environment and the potential of GPSC-derived renal cells in protecting against kidney injury in vivo.