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They extracted early-stage sperm cells from mice, then turned them into cells capable of becoming different tissues.
Writing in Nature, the Weill Cornell Medical College team said their work might lead to treatments for illnesses such as Alzheimer's and diabetes.
However, some doubt has been expressed on the willingness of men to undergo the procedure to extract the cells.
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Stem cells are the body's "master cells" that, in theory, can become any type of cell in the body.
Embryo opposition
An obvious source of these is from the human embryo, as unlike adult cells, these have the potential to grow into any tissue type.
However, ethical concerns over the use of embryos in medicine mean that scientists are hunting for a source of easily-harvested adult cells which could be coaxed into any variety of cell.
Stem cells have already been extracted from mouse testicles - however, the New York team is claiming a more reliable way to isolate and develop them, increasing the potential for larger numbers to be produced successfully.
The testicular cells do not need to be...