title: Can pubertal boys with Klinefelter syndrome benefit from spermatogonial stem cell banking?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although early development of testes appears normal in boys with Klinefelter syndrome (KS), spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) depletion occurs in mid puberty, leading to infertility. Cryopreservation of SSCs prior to stem cell loss is an option that is currently offered to boys who have to undergo gonadotoxic treatments. This study aimed to explore the possibility of preserving SSCs in pubertal KS adolescents by testicular tissue banking.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted in seven non-mosaic 47,XXY adolescents, aged 13-16 years, who were invited for an experimental testicular tissue banking programme during their follow-up at the Paediatric Endocrinology Department of the UZ Brussel between 2009 and 2011. Paraffin-embedded testicular tissue was sectioned and stained with haematoxylin-eosin, and immunostainings were performed for Mage-A4, anti-Mullerian hormone, Inhibin α and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. The presence of spermatogenesis and/or spermatogonia was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Massive fibrosis and hyalinization was observed in all but one KS patients. Although spermatogonia were seen in five patients, spermatogonia were only present in tubules showing normal architecture in the youngest patient who also had normal follicle-stimulating hormone and inhibin B concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testicular tissue cryopreservation in KS adolescents should be recommended as soon as possible, probably before hormonal changes of failing Sertoli cell function are detected.
authors.affiliation: Research Group Biology of Testis, Department of Embryology and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. dorien.van.saen@vub.ac.be
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van Saen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gies
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: De Schepper
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tournaye
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goossens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D015925:Cryopreservation; D059247:Fertility Preservation; D005355:Fibrosis; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006818:Hyalin / Q000378:metabolism; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000097:blood; D007713:Klinefelter Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012662:Semen Preservation; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits