title: Transplantation of Autologous Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells into the Testes of Infertile Male Rats and New Germ Cell Formation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have been suggested as a potential choice for treatment of male infertility. Yet, the effects of MSCs on regeneration of germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubules and recovery of spermatogenesis have remained controversial. In this research, we have evaluated and compared the fate of autologous bone marrow (BM)-MSCs during three different periods of time- 4, 6 and 8 weeks after transplantation into the testes of busulfan-induced infertile male rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats BM samples were collected from tibia bone under anesthesia. The samples were directly cultured in culture medium. Isolated, characterized and purified BM-MSCs were labeled with PKH26, and transplanted into the testes of infertile rats. After 4, 6 and 8 weeks, the testes were removed and underwent histological evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemical analysis showed that transplanted BM-MSCs survived in all three groups. Some of the cells homed at the germinal epithelium and expressed spermatogonia markers (DazlandStella). The number of homed spermatogonia-like cells in 4-week testes, was more than the 6-week testes. The 8-week testes had the least numbers of homed cells (p<0.05). Immunostaining for vimentin showed that BM-MSCs did not differentiate into the sertoli cells in the testes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From our results, it could be concluded that, autologous BM-MSCs could survive in the testis, migrate onto the seminiferous tubules basement membrane and differentiate into spermatogonia. Although, no more differentiation was observed in the produced spermatogonia, generation of such endogenous GCs would be a really promising achievement for treatment of male infertility using autologous stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghasemzadeh-Hasankolaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Roozali
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Batavani
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamadreza Baghaban
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Eslaminejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Foroughazam
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sayahpour
keywords: Autologous; Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; Germ cells; Infertile male rats; Testis; Transplantation