Stem cells have been introduced as new promising therapeutic agents in treatment of degenerative diseases because of having high differentiation potential while maintaining the ability to self-replicate and retaining features of their source cells. Among different type of cell therapies, mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) therapy is being increasingly developed as a new way to treat structural defects that need to be repaired and regenerated. Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a reproductive disease in men that causes infertility in 10% of infertile men. Based on in vitro studies, MSCs from different tissue sources have been differentiated into germ cells or gamete progenitor cells by simple methods in both male and female. On the other hand, the therapeutic effects of MSCs have been evaluated for the treatment of NOA animal models created by chemical or surgical compounds. The results of these studies confirmed successful allotransplantation or xenotransplantation of MSCs in the seminiferous tubules. As well, it has been reported that exosomes secreted by MSCs are able to induce the process of spermatogenesis in the testes of infertile animal models. Despite numerous advances in the treatment of reproductive diseases in men and women with the help of MSCs or their exosomes, no clinical trial has been terminated on the treatment of NOA. This systematic review attempts to investigate the possibility of MSC therapy for NOA in men.

To investigate the supplement of lost nerve cells in rats with traumatic brain injury by intravenous administration of allogenic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, this study established a Wistar rat model of traumatic brain injury by weight drop impact acceleration method and administered 3 × 10 ⁶ rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via the lateral tail vein. At 14 days after cell transplantation, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiated into neurons and astrocytes in injured rat cerebral cortex and rat neurological function was improved significantly. These findings suggest that intravenously administered bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can promote nerve cell regeneration in injured cerebral cortex, which supplement the lost nerve cells.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy in women. PCOS is characterized by anovulation, hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovaries, insulin resistance, and obesity. Despite the finding that the genetic origin of PCOS is well demonstrated in previous twin and familial clustering studies, genes and factors that can exactly explain the PCOS pathophysiology are not known. Objective(s). In this review, we attempted to identify genes related to secretion and signaling of insulin aspects of PCOS and their physiological functions in order to explain the pathways that are regulated by these genes which can be a prominent function in PCOS predisposition. Materials and Methods. For this purpose, published articles and reviews dealing with genetic evaluation of PCOS in women from peer-reviewed journals in PubMed and Google Scholar databases were included in this review. Results. The genomic investigations in women of different populations identified many candidate genes and loci that are associated with PCOS. The most important of them are INSR, IRS1-2, MTNR1A, MTNR1B, THADA, PPAR-γ2, ADIPOQ, and CAPN10. These are mainly associated with metabolic aspects of PCOS. Conclusions. In this review, we proposed that each of these genes may interrupt specific physiological pathways by affecting them and contribute to PCOS initiation. It is clear that the role of genes involved in insulin secretion and signaling is more critical than other pathways.

Despite extensive studies on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), there is no definitive cure, drug, or prevention. Therefore, for developing new therapeutics, proper study models of T2DM is necessary to conduct further preclinical researches. Diabetes has been induced in animals using chemical, genetic, hormonal, antibody, viral, and surgical methods or a combination of them. Beside different approaches of diabetes induction, different animal species have been suggested. Although more than 85% of articles have proposed rat (genusRattus) as the proper model for diabetes induction, zebrafish (Danio rerio) models of diabetes are being used more frequently in diabetes related studies. In this systematic review, we compare different aspects of available methods of inducing hyperglycemia referred as T2DM in zebrafish by utilizing a scoring system. Evaluating 26 approved models of T2DM in zebrafish, this scoring system may help researchers to compare different T2DM zebrafish models and select the best one regarding their own research theme. Eventually, glyoxalase1 (glo1^−/−) knockout model of hyperglycemia achieved the highest score. In addition to assessment of hyperglycemic induction methods in zebrafish, eight most commonly proposed diabetic induction approval methods are suggested to help researchers confirm their subsequent proposed models.

Objective(s): One of the common heterogeneous reproductive disorders in women of childbearing age is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It is characterized by lack of fertility due to anovulatory cycles, hyperandrogenemia, polycystic ovaries, hyperinsulinemia, and obesity. Both reproductive anomalies and metabolic disorders are involved in PCOS pathology. Although the role of increased levels of androgens in initiation of PCOS is almost proven, mechanisms of PCOS pathophysiology are not clear. Here we discuss roles of altered metabolic conditions, obesity, and chronic inflammation in PCOS pathophysiology.Materials and Methods: In this review, we attempted to identify genes related to obesity and chronic inflammation aspects of PCOS and their physiological functions to explain the pathways that are regulated by these genes and can be a prominent function in PCOS predisposition. For this purpose, published articles and reviews dealing with genetic evaluation of PCOS in women in peer-reviewed journals in PubMed and Google Scholar databases were included in this review.Results: Obesity and chronic inflammation are not prominent diagnostic features of PCOS, but they play an important role in exacerbating metabolic and hyperandrogenic states. ADIPOQ, FTO TGFβ, and DENND1A as the main obesity- and chronic inflammation-related genes have roles in PCOS pathophysiology.Conclusion: It seems that genes related to obesity pathology in genomic research association, are related to metabolic aspects and body mass index in PCOS patients. Genomes have roles in chronic inflammation, followed by obesity, in the pathogenesis of PCOS.