Testicular cell transplantation into the human testes

Abstract

Objective: To translate spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplantation towards a clinical application.

Design: Mouse green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive testicular cells were labeled with (99m)technetium and microbubbles. These labeled cells were injected into the rete testis of isolated human testes under ultrasound guidance. Three different conditions were tested: 1) 800 μL of a 20 million cells/mL suspension; 2) 800 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension; and 3) 1,400 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension. After injection, the human cadaver testes were analyzed with the use of single-photon-emission computerized tomography (SPECT) imaging and histology.

Setting: Laboratory research environment.

Patient(s): Cadaver testes, obtained from autopsies at the pathology department.

Intervention(s): Ultrasound-guided injection of mouse GFP-positive testicular cells.

Main outcome measure(s): Presence of radioactive-labeled cells in the human cadaver testes and GFP-positive cells in the seminiferous tubules.

Result(s): In all of the experimental groups, GFP-positive cells were observed in the seminiferous tubules, near and far from the rete testis, but also in the interstitium. On SPECT, significant difference was seen between the group injected with 800 μL of a 20 million cells/mL suspension (1,654.6 ± 907.6 mm³) and the group injected with 1,400 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension (3,614.9 ± 723.1 mm³). No significant difference was reached in the group injected with 800 μL of a 10 million cells/mL suspension.

Conclusion(s): Injecting cells in the human cadaver testis is feasible, but further optimization is required.

Keywords: Translation; human; spermatogonia; testis; transplantation.