A new and fast technique to generate offspring after germ cells transplantation in adult fish: the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) model.
BACKGROUND
Germ cell transplantation results in fertile recipients and is the only available approach to functionally investigate the spermatogonial stem cell biology in mammals and probably in other vertebrates. In the current study, we describe a novel non-surgical methodology for efficient spermatogonial transplantation into the testes of adult tilapia (O. niloticus), in which endogenous spermatogenesis had been depleted with the cytostatic drug busulfan.


RESULTS
Using two different tilapia strains, the production of fertile spermatozoa with donor characteristics was demonstrated in adult recipient, which also sired progeny with the donor genotype. Also, after cryopreservation tilapia spermatogonial cells were able to differentiate to spermatozoa in the testes of recipient fishes. These findings indicate that injecting germ cells directly into adult testis facilitates and enable fast generation of donor spermatogenesis and offspring compared to previously described methods.


CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, a new suitable methodology for biotechnological investigations in aquaculture was established, with a high potential to improve the production of commercially valuable fish, generate transgenic animals and preserve endangered fish species.
Lacerda
Samyra M S N
SM
Laboratory of Cellular Biology, Department of Morphology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Batlouni
Sergio R
SR
Costa
Guilherme M J
GM
Segatelli
Tânia M
TM
Quirino
Bruno R
BR
Queiroz
Bruno M
BM
Kalapothakis
Evanguedes
E
França
Luiz R
LR
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001947:Breeding / Q000379:methods*; D002066:Busulfan; D023681:Cichlids / Q000502:physiology*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D010802:Phylogeny; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology
D002066:Busulfan