Germline Stem Cells

These cells, the source of human and animal reproduction, may eventually protect endangered species, manage commercial livestock, affect human fertility, and even treat testicular and ovarian tumors. The contributors of these 16 articles focus first on the identification and regulation of germline stem cells in model organisms, describing the development of germline stem cells in Drosophilia, analyzing the C. elegans germline stem cell region, giving immunohistological techniques for study, describing how to use genetic tools to trace cell lineage and gene manipulation, determining the structured polarity of male germline stem cells, conducting high-resolution light microscopic characterization of spermatogonia, identifying and characterizing spermatogonial subtypes, attaining epigenetic control in male germ cells and maintaining spermatogonial germ cells in vivo and in vitro. The remaining seven articles detail protocols of in vitro culture and applications, including spermatogonial germ cell transplantation, ectopic grafting of mammalian testis tissue, and deriving mouse spermatogonial stem cell lines. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)