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Updated: Oct 2, 2025
Germ Cell Transplantation and Testis Tissue Xenografting in Mice
Published on: February 6, 2012
Immature Testicular Tissue Engineered from Weaned Mice to Adults for Prepubertal Fertility Preservation-An In Vivo
How Tseng1,2,3, Yung-Liang Liu4, Buo-Jia Lu5
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Male pediatric survivors of cancers and bone marrow transplantation often require adjuvant chemoradiation therapy that may be gonadotoxic. The optimal methods to preserve fertility in these prepubertal males are still under investigation. This manuscript presents an in vivo experiment which involved transplantation of immature testicular tissues (ITT) from transgenic donor, to wild-type recipient mice. Donors and recipients were age-mismatched (from 20-week-old donors to 3-week-old recipients, and vice versa) and the transplantation sites involved the abdomen, skin of the head, back muscle, and scrotum. The application of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffold was also evaluated in age-matched donors and recipients (both 3-weeks-old). To quantitively evaluate the process of spermatogenesis after ITT transplantation and scaffold application, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was employed. Our result showed that ITT from 3-week-old mice had the best potential for spermatogenesis, and the optimal transplantation site was in the scrotum. Spermatogenesis was observed in recipient mice up to 51 days after transplantation, and up to the 85th day if scaffold was used. The peak of spermatogenesis occurred between the 42nd and 55th days in the scaffold group. This animal model may serve as a framework for further studies in prepubertal male fertility preservation.
Insights
Immature testicular tissue (ITT) transplantation in mice shows promise for preserving fertility in prepubertal males. Scrotal transplantation and scaffold use improved spermatogenesis, offering a potential fertility preservation strategy.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Pediatric cancer survivors undergoing chemoradiation face gonadotoxicity, impacting future fertility.
- Preserving fertility in prepubertal males is a significant clinical challenge.
- Current fertility preservation methods for young males are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of immature testicular tissue (ITT) transplantation for fertility preservation in a mouse model.
- To identify optimal conditions for ITT transplantation, including donor-recipient age matching and transplantation site.
- To assess the impact of a poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) scaffold on spermatogenesis post-transplantation.
Main Methods:
- In vivo transplantation of ITT from transgenic donor mice to wild-type recipients with varying age differences and transplantation sites.
- Evaluation of scaffold-assisted ITT transplantation in age-matched mice.
- Quantitative assessment of spermatogenesis using bioluminescence imaging (BLI).
Main Results:
- ITT from 3-week-old donors demonstrated the highest potential for spermatogenesis.
- The scrotum was identified as the optimal transplantation site.
- Spermatogenesis was sustained up to 51 days, and up to 85 days with PLLA scaffold use.
- The peak of spermatogenesis occurred between days 42-55 in the scaffold group.
Conclusions:
- Immature testicular tissue transplantation is a viable strategy for fertility preservation in prepubertal males.
- Scrotal transplantation and the use of PLLA scaffolds enhance the duration and success of spermatogenesis.
- This animal model provides a foundation for developing clinical fertility preservation techniques for young male cancer survivors.
