Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, India.
Reproduction. 2012 Jan 1;143(1):59-69. doi: 10.1530/REP-11-0286. Epub 2011 Nov 1.
Growth and development of immature testis xenograft from various domestic mammals has been shown in mouse recipients; however, buffalo testis xenografts have not been reported to date. In this study, small fragments of testis tissue from 8-week-old buffalo calves were implanted subcutaneously onto the back of immunodeficient male mouse recipients, which were either castrated or left intact (non-castrated). The xenografts were retrieved and analyzed 12 and 24 weeks later. The grafted tissue survived and grew in both types of recipient with a significant increase in weight and seminiferous tubule diameter. Recovery of grafts from intact recipients 24 weeks post-grafting was significantly lower than that from the castrated recipients. Seminal vesicle indices and serum testosterone levels were lower in castrated recipients at both collection time points in comparison to the intact recipients and non-grafted intact mouse controls. Pachytene spermatocytes were the most advanced germ cells observed in grafts recovered from castrated recipients 24 weeks post-grafting. Complete spermatogenesis, as indicated by the presence of elongated spermatids, was present only in grafts from intact recipients collected 24 weeks post-grafting. However, significant number of germ cells with DNA damage was also detected in these grafts as indicated by TUNEL assay. The complete germ cell differentiation in xenografts from intact recipients may be attributed to efficient Sertoli cell maturation. These results suggest that germ cell differentiation in buffalo testis xenograft can be completed by altering the recipient gonadal status.
已在免疫缺陷雄性小鼠受体中证明了来自各种家畜的未成熟睾丸异种移植物的生长和发育；然而，迄今为止尚未报道水牛睾丸异种移植物。在这项研究中，将来自 8 周龄小公牛犊的睾丸组织小块皮下植入免疫缺陷雄性小鼠受体的背部，这些受体被去势或保持完整（未去势）。12 周和 24 周后取回和分析异种移植物。移植组织在两种受体中均存活并生长，重量和生精小管直径显著增加。与去势受体相比，完整受体 24 周后回收的移植物的恢复明显较低。与完整受体和未移植的完整对照小鼠相比，去势受体在两个采集时间点的精囊指数和血清睾酮水平均较低。在去势受体 24 周后回收的移植物中观察到的最先进的生殖细胞是粗线期精母细胞。只有在完整受体 24 周后收集的移植物中才存在精子细胞的完全成熟，表现为伸长的精子细胞的存在。然而，如 TUNEL 测定所示，在这些移植物中还检测到大量具有 DNA 损伤的生殖细胞。完整受体来源的异种移植物中完整的生殖细胞分化可能归因于支持细胞的成熟效率。这些结果表明，通过改变受体性腺状态，可以完成水牛睾丸异种移植物中的生殖细胞分化。
