The research group of Dr. Schlatt is interested in the role of hormones and growth factors during testis development with a special focus on the cell biology of testicular stem cells. In vitro approaches using cell lines and isolated testicular cells are used to study the proliferation and differentiation of testicular cells. Novel experimental tools including germ cell transplantation and testicular grafting are applied to study testicular function in rodent animal models, non-human primates and men. The basic research on spermatogonial stem cells has relevance for a variety of fields including clinical applications. These stem cells are the only diploid cells of the germ line which actively proliferate in adulthood. Therefore, spermatogonia can be used as a target cell for production of transgenic offspring; as a target cell for production of totipotent or pluripotent cell lines, as a target cell for fertility preservation in sub- and infertile men or as a target cell for fertility preservation of breeding stock.

Immunofluorescence of BrdU-labelled germ cells in whole mounts of monkey testis.