Stem cell strategy for boosting testosterone levels tested in rodents

Male hypogonadism is a condition that diminishes testosterone levels in approximately 30% of older men, but currently available therapies can produce serious side effects. In a new study, researchers developed an alternative approach involving the direct conversion of adult skin cells into functional testosterone-producing cells. When transplanted into male rodents with hypogonadism, these so-called Leydig-like cells survived and restored normal testosterone levels.