title: An efficient method for generating a germ cell depleted animal model for studies related to spermatogonial stem cell transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplantation (SSCT) has become important for conservation of endangered species, transgenesis and for rejuvenating testes which have lost germ cells (Gc) due to gonadotoxic chemotherapy or radiotherapy during the prepubertal phase of life. Creating a germ cell-depleted animal model for transplantation of normal or gene-transfected SSC is a prerequisite for such experimental studies. Traditionally used intraperitoneal injections of busulfan to achieve this are associated with painful hematopoietic toxicity and affects the wellbeing of the animals. Use of testicular busulfan has been reported recently to avoid this but with a very low success rate of SSCT. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a more efficient method to achieve higher SSCT without any suffering or mortality of the animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A solution of busulfan, ranging from 25 μg/20 μl to 100 μg/20 μl in 50 % DMSO was used for this study. Each testis received two diagonally opposite injections of 10 μl each. Only DMSO was used as control. Germ cell depletion was checked every 15 days. GFP-expressing SSC from transgenic donor mice C57BL/6-Tg (UBC-GFP) 30Scha/J were transplanted into busulfan-treated testis. Two months after SSCT, mice were analyzed for presence of colonies of donor-derived SSC and their ability to generate offspring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A dose of 75 μg of busulfan resulted in reduction of testis size and depletion of the majority of Gc of testis in all mice within 15 days post injection without causing mortality or a cytotoxic effect in other organs. Two months after SSCT, colonies of donor-derived Gc-expressing GFP were observed in recipient testes. When cohabitated with females, donor-derived offspring were obtained. By our method, 71 % of transplanted males sired transgenic progeny as opposed to 5.5 % by previously described procedures. About 56 % of progeny born were transgenic by our method as opposed to 1.2 % by the previously reported methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have established an efficient method of generating a germ cell-depleted animal model by using a lower dose of busulfan, injected through two diagonally opposite sites in the testis, which allows efficient colonization of transplanted SSC resulting in a remarkably higher proportion of donor-derived offspring generation.
authors.affiliation: Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
authors.forename: Nirmalya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ganguli
authors.affiliation: Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.|Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007, India.
authors.forename: Neerja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wadhwa
authors.affiliation: Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
authors.forename: Abul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Usmani
authors.affiliation: Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
authors.forename: Neetu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kunj
authors.affiliation: Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
authors.forename: Nilanjana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ganguli
authors.affiliation: Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India.
authors.forename: Rajesh Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sarkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110 007, India.
authors.forename: Soma M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ghorai
authors.affiliation: Embryo Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi, 110067, India. subeer@nii.ac.in.|National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, Telengana, India. subeer@nii.ac.in.
authors.forename: Subeer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Majumdar
keywords: Busulfan; Chemotherapy; Fertility restoration; Germ cell depletion; Germ cell transplantation