Support of Xenopus laevis spermatogenesis in vitro by different energy substrates

The support of Xenopus laevis spermatogenesis in vitro by different energy-yielding substrates has been investigated. Isolated spermatogenic cells maintained their levels of adenosine-triphosphate for 24 h in serum-free medium containing only amino acids as energy substrates. DL-Aminocarnitine, an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase, reduced cell viability 87% during a 15-h culture in the same medium, indicating that beta oxidation of endogenous fatty acids is a significant source of energy when exogenous substrates are unavailable. Isolated spermatocytes developed into spermatids for 7 days in medium supplemented with either pyruvate, oxaloacetate, or lactate, with maximal survival and development at 0.5 mM pyruvate, 2.0 mM oxaloacetate, and 4.0 mM lactate. Few spermatocytes survived more than 3 days in serum-free medium supplemented with only glucose and amino acids as energy substrates. In contrast, glucose-supplemented medium supported spermatocyte differentiation for 14 days in testis fragment culture and 7 days in spermatocyte-Sertoli cell cocultures due to the excretion of lactate and pyruvate by Xenopus Sertoli cells during culture in glucose-supplemented medium. Glucose also enhanced spermatocyte development in medium containing dialyzed, heat-inactivated fetal calf serum. Spermatogenic cells oxidized glucose to CO2 with C1 oxidized 6- to 7-fold more than C6, suggesting that glucose may be metabolized in the hexose monophosphate shunt. The results are discussed in comparison to energy metabolism in mammalian testes and spermatogenic cells.