title: Testicular cell transplantation into the human testes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To translate spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplantation towards a clinical application.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mouse green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive testicular cells were labeled with (99m)technetium and microbubbles. These labeled cells were injected into the rete testis of isolated human testes under ultrasound guidance. Three different conditions were tested: 1) 800 μL of a 20 million cells/mL suspension; 2) 800 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension; and 3) 1,400 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension. After injection, the human cadaver testes were analyzed with the use of single-photon-emission computerized tomography (SPECT) imaging and histology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory research environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cadaver testes, obtained from autopsies at the pathology department.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ultrasound-guided injection of mouse GFP-positive testicular cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Presence of radioactive-labeled cells in the human cadaver testes and GFP-positive cells in the seminiferous tubules.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all of the experimental groups, GFP-positive cells were observed in the seminiferous tubules, near and far from the rete testis, but also in the interstitium. On SPECT, significant difference was seen between the group injected with 800 μL of a 20 million cells/mL suspension (1,654.6 ± 907.6 mm³) and the group injected with 1,400 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension (3,614.9 ± 723.1 mm³). No significant difference was reached in the group injected with 800 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Injecting cells in the human cadaver testis is feasible, but further optimization is required.
authors.affiliation: Biology of the Testis, Research Laboratory for Embryology and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: kfaes@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Faes
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tournaye
authors.forename: Lode
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goethals
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lahoutte
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoorens
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goossens
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002102:Cadaver; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000379:methods; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012152:Rete Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000378:metabolism; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
keywords: Translation; human; spermatogonia; testis; transplantation