FSH-initiated differentiation of newt spermatogonia to primary spermatocytes in germ-somatic cell reaggregates cultured within a collagen matrix.
We previously cultured fragments of newt testes in chemically defined media and showed that mammalian follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates proliferation of spermatogonia as well as their differentiation into primary spermatocytes (Ji et al., 1992; Abe and Ji, 1994). Next, we indicated in cultures composed of spermatogonia and somatic cells (mainly Sertoli cells) that FSH stimulates germ cell proliferation via Sertoli cells (Maekawa et al., 1995). However, the spermatogonia did not differentiate into primary spermatocytes, but instead died. In the present study, we embedded large reaggregates of spermatogonia and somatic cells (mainly Sertoli cells) within a collagen matrix and cultured the reaggregates on a filter that floated on chemically defined media containing FSH; in this revised culture system, spermatogonia proliferated and differentiated into primary spermatocytes. The viability and percentage of germ cells differentiating into primary spermatocytes were proportional to the percentage of somatic cells in the culture, indicating that differentiation of spermatogonia into primary spermatocytes is mediated by Sertoli cells.
Ito
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Department of Materials and Life Science, Graduate School of Kumamoto University, Japan.
Abé
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D000818:Animals; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002455:Cell Division; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000502:physiology*; D005854:Germ Cells; D006822:Hybrid Cells; D008297:Male; D012455:Salamandridae / Q000196:embryology*; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000254:growth & development*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000254:growth & development*; D013997:Time Factors
D017304:Annexin A5; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D003094:Collagen