[Preliminary study on the development of germ cells from human fetal testicular tissues xenografted into the mouse].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the development of xenografted primitive human germ cells by using fetal testicular tissues as donor tissues and an immunodeficient mouse as the recipient.


METHODS
Testicular tissue fragments of a 26-week fetus were grafted under the back skin of a castrated immunodeficient mouse. Grafts were taken out after 135 days and processed for morphological and histological analyses.


RESULTS
The mass of grafts grew from about 1 mm in diameter and 5 mg in wet weight to about 3 mm and more than 20 mg 135 days after grafting. Histological observations showed a significant expansion of seminiferous tubules after grafting (80 +/- 25 microm in diameter) in comparison with seminiferous cords at the time of grafting (60 +/- 15 microm in diameter). The seminiferous cords developed into seminiferous tubules with the epithelial border and lumen. After 135 days of grafting, most of the dispersedly distributed primitive Sertoli cells and germ cells migrated to the basal part of seminiferous epithelium, located on the basement membrane and few of germ cells differentiated into spermatogonia.


CONCLUSIONS
Human fetal testicular tissues could survive and continuously develop after being xenograft into castrated immunodeficient mice.
Yu
Jie
J
Central Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518036, China. yujie007@hotmail.com
Ye
Jing
J
Zhang
Fangting
F
Wan
Huijuan
H
Fang
Jiazhi
J
Wang
Yujie
Y
Zong
Shudong
S
Cai
Zhiming
Z
D000818:Animals; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D013087:Spermatids / Q000254:growth & development*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous