title: In search of an improved injection technique for the clinical application of spermatogonial stem cell transplantation.
abstract: When fertility is impaired by anticancer treatment, spermatogonial stem cell transplantation (SSCT) could be used as a fertility restoration technique later on in life. Previously, we have demonstrated that a testicular cell suspension could be injected into a human cadaver testis, however, leakage to the interstitium was observed. In this study, injection of mouse testicular cells at an injection height of 50 cm (hydrostatic pressure) or via an automated injection pump (1400 µl, 2600 µl and 3000 µl) was evaluated. Significant difference in the filled radioactive volume was reached between the group in which 1400 µl was injected with an infusion pump and the groups in which 2600 µl (P = 0.019) or 3000 µl (P = 0.010) was injected. In all experimental groups green fluorescent protein positive (GFP+) cells were observed in the seminiferous tubules. In conclusion, a lower injection height did not resolve the leakage of the injected cells to the interstitium. Using the infusion pump resulted in more efficient filling of the seminiferous tubules with lower interexperimental variability. Although leakage to the interstitium was still observed, with further optimisation, the use of an infusion pump for clinical application is advantageous.
authors.affiliation: Biology of the testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: kfaes@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Katrien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Faes
authors.affiliation: In vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Nuclear Medicine Department, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lahoutte
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoorens
authors.affiliation: Biology of the testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tournaye
authors.affiliation: Biology of the testis (BITE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goossens
mesh_terms: D000072956:Adult Germline Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Fertility restoration; Human; Infusion pump; SSC transplantation; Seminiferous tubule; Testis