Transplantation of interstitial cells of the testis: effect of implant site, graft mass and ischaemia.

Autotransplantation of testicular tissue was performed in inbred mice to subcutaneous trunk, ear lobe and intraperitoneal sites. The results were assessed after 3 months by determining the weights of seminal vesicle and penis and by the histological appearances of the grafts and seminal vesicles. Intraperitoneal implantation produced maximal effects and as little as 5 mg of testicular tissue could be grafted with demonstrable androgenic action on the host. Spermatogenic tissue atrophied in all cases but interstitial cells were shown to survive and function 3 months after subcutaneous grafting following 48 hours ischaemia in 3 degrees C, 12 hours at 21 degrees C and 3 hours at 37 degrees C.