Human recombinant stem cell factor promotes spermatogonial proliferation, but not meiosis initiation in organ culture of newt testis fragments.
We previously showed that mammalian FSH stimulates the proliferation of newt spermatogonia and induces their differentiation into primary spermatocytes in vitro. In the current study, to examine a possibility that stem cell factor (SCF) is involved in the proliferation of newt spermatogonia and/or their differentiation into primary spermatocytes, human recombinant SCF (rhSCF) was added to organ culture of testicular fragments. rhSCF was found to stimulate the spermatogonial proliferation and the spermatogonia progressed to the seventh generation that is the penultimate stage before primary spermatocyte stage. However, the spermatogonia did not differentiate into primary spermatocytes, but instead died of apoptosis. These results indicate that rhSCF promotes the proliferation of newt spermatogonia, but not the initiation of meiosis.
Abé
Keisuke
K
Department of Materials and Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kurokami 2-39-1, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan.
Jin
Yan
Y
Yamamoto
Takashi
T
Abé
Shin-Ichi
S
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012455:Salamandridae; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019089:Stem Cell Factor