Induction of spermatogenesis by grafting neonatal mouse testicular tissue into epididymal fat of castrated adult mouse

Background: Testicular grafting has the potential to become a method to preserve fertility in prepubertal boys undergoing cancer treatment. In this study, spermatogenesis development was evaluated after graft of fresh neonatal mouse testicular tissue to epididymal fat of bilateral castrated adult mouse.Methods: Three neonatal (3-5 days old) male mice as the donors and three adult (6-8 weeks old) male mice as the recipients were used. After bilaterally castration of recipient’s mice, four pieces of fresh neonatal testis tissue fragments were grafted into recipient epididymal fat. Eight weeks after implantation, grafted testicular tissue was evaluated. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were used to evaluate the morphology of seminiferous tubules. Real time PCR and immunohistochemistry staining were used to assess the germ cell development in grafted neonatal testis tissue. TUNEL assay was used for defining the apoptosis level of grafted tissue.Result: Vascular anastomoses were seen at the graft site. At the time of grafting, spermatogonial cells were the only germ cells present in the seminiferous tubules. Eight weeks after implantation, histological, real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses of the grafts showed different types of germ cells from spermatogonia up to the elongated spermatid. TUNEL assay showed no significant differences between control and experimental groups.Conclusion: The previous studies showed the spermatogenesis arrest in meiosis process. Due to the appropriate hormonal and temperature conditions of epididymal fat, it seems immature testicular tissue grafting to epididymal fat may be a powerful site to support the spermatogenesis and may pave way for fertility preservation in prepubertal cancer patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

Epididymal fat ، Graft ، Testis tissue ، Spermatogenesis