Avarbock M R, Brinster C J, Brinster R L
Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Nat Med. 1996 Jun;2(6):693-6. doi: 10.1038/nm0696-693.
Spermatozoa from a number of species can be cryopreserved and then subsequently used to fertilize eggs. However, this technique has several limitations. First, the freezing protocol varies for each species and must be determined empirically, and for some species appropriate methods have not yet been identified. Second, because these cells are fully differentiated, they will not undergo replication when thawed, and recombination of genetic information cannot occur. We now demonstrate, by using the recently developed spermatogonial transplantation technique, that male germline stem cells can be successfully cryopreserved. Donor testis cells isolated from prepubertal or adult mice and frozen from 4 to 156 days at -196 degrees C were able to generate spermatogenesis in recipient seminiferous tubules. Relatively standard preservation techniques were used, suggesting that male germ cells from other species can also be stored for long periods. Because transplanted testis stem cells will ultimately undergo replication and meiotic recombination during spermatogenesis, one might consider these preserved male germ lines as biologically immortal.
许多物种的精子都可以被冷冻保存，随后用于使卵子受精。然而，这项技术有几个局限性。首先，每个物种的冷冻方案各不相同，必须通过经验来确定，而且对于一些物种，尚未找到合适的方法。其次，由于这些细胞已完全分化，解冻后它们不会进行复制，也不会发生遗传信息的重组。我们现在通过使用最近开发的精原细胞移植技术证明，雄性生殖系干细胞可以成功地冷冻保存。从青春期前或成年小鼠分离出的供体睾丸细胞，在-196℃下冷冻4至156天，能够在受体生精小管中产生精子发生。使用的是相对标准的保存技术，这表明来自其他物种的雄性生殖细胞也可以长期储存。由于移植的睾丸干细胞最终会在精子发生过程中进行复制和减数分裂重组，人们可能会认为这些保存的雄性生殖系在生物学上是不朽的。
