Follicle growth and oocyte development after ovary transplantation into back muscle of immune-intact adult castrated male mice.
Ovary grafting is not only a method of investigating follicle and oocyte development, but also a useful model to explore the possibility of the re-establishment of the reproductive axis in male-to-female sexual reversal. This study investigated ovary survival and follicle development after mouse ovaries were transplanted into immune-intact castrated male mice. Ten-day-old mouse ovaries were transplanted into the back muscle of adult outbred castrated male mice treated with immunosuppressants. Twenty-two days later, the ovary structure and the number of follicles present was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The oocytes were harvested, and then used for in vitro maturation (IVM) and IVF. The results showed that primordial and antral follicles were mainly found in the grafts, and there were obvious differences compared with 32-day-old fresh ovaries (P<0.05). Embryos were derived from collected oocytes after IVM and IVF with a 72.4% cleavage rate and 7.9% blastocyst rate; 12 live pups were generated by embryo transfer. The hormone assay showed that plasma concentrations of both estrogen and progesterone increased after ovarian transplantation (P<0.01). In conclusion, immune-intact adult castrated male mice can support ovary survival and further development of follicles with endocrine function after ovarian transplantation.
Li
Fengyin
F
Department of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Changjiang West Road 130, Hefei 230036, People's Republic of China.
Tao
Yong
Y
Zhang
Yunhai
Y
Li
Yunsheng
Y
Fang
Fugui
F
Liu
Ya
Y
Cao
Hongguo
H
Zhang
Xiaorong
X
Zhou
Shixian
S
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006085:Graft Survival; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D050498:Live Birth; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D009866:Oogenesis; D009919:Orchiectomy; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
D004967:Estrogens; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011374:Progesterone