Germ Cells, Their Regulation and Their Niches

Dear Colleagues,

Male and female germ cells are unique and indispensable for reproduction. In the adult, they reside in a specific environment within the testis and the ovary, which is primarily provided by the neighboring cells. In the case of the testis, Sertoli cells and peritubular cells are to be mentioned, whereas in the case of the ovary, granulosa and theca cells play a key role. Other factors, derived from the blood supply, for example, also contribute to the microenvironment and, thus, to the regulation of germ cells, their development and, in the case of the testis, to the regulation of spermatogonial stem cells.

In adult mammalian species, germ stem cells exist only in the testis (most likely). They ensure lifelong spermatogenesis. Knowledge about the regulation of the spermatogonial stem cell niche is of outmost importance, as derangements of the integrity and functionality may result in impairments of spermatogenesis and infertility.

In contrast, in the adult ovary, the postnatal lack of germ stem cells has severe consequences and leads to the depletion of the established germ cell pool over time, due to growth and atresia of follicles. The regulation of these fate decisions is not well understood.

The topic of this Special Issues aims to improve our understanding of the regulation of male and female germ cells and their changing gonadal microenvironments. The focus is on mammalian species. Original research papers as well as reviews are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Artur Mayerhofer
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.