In vitro maintenance of spermatogenesis in Xenopus laevis testis explants cultured in serum-free media
Spermatogenesis has been maintained for extended periods in Xenopus laevis testis explants cultured in serum-free media supplemented with bovine serum albumin, insulin, transferrin, follicle-stimulating hormone, dihydrotestosterone, testosterone, retinol, ascorbate, and tocopherol. The organization of the testis fragments was maintained for 28 days, and all stages of development were present throughout the culture period. /sup 3/H-Thymidine-labeled secondary (Type B) spermatogonia developed in 28 days into spermatids at the acrosomal vesicle stage whereas labeled zygotene spermatocytes became mature spermatids in 28 days. Spermatogonial proliferation also continued in vitro for 28 days. Germ cell differentiation was not dependent upon exogenous testosterone, ascorbate, or tocopherol since /sup 3/H-labeled spermatogonia became mature spermatids in testes cultured 35 days in media lacking these supplements. Autoradiography demonstrated that 55% of the luminal sperm present in explants cultured 10 days had differentiated in vitro. Sperm from testes cultured 10-35 days were similar to sperm from freshly dissected testes with regard to motility and fecundity, and eggs fertilized with sperm from explant cultures developed normally into swimming tadpoles. The results demonstrate the feasibility of maintaining vertebrate spermatogenesis in culture and suggest that in vitro analysis of Xenopus spermatogenesis using defined media may provide important insights into the evolution of regulatory mechanisms in spermatogenesis.
- Research Organization:
- Cornell Univ. Medical College, New York, NY
- OSTI ID:
- 6323515
- Journal Information:
- Biol. Reprod.; (United States), Journal Name: Biol. Reprod.; (United States) Vol. 36:4; ISSN BIREB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMPHIBIANS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
AZINES
BODY
CELL DIFFERENTIATION
CULTURE MEDIA
DNA REPLICATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FERTILIZATION
FROGS
GAMETES
GAMETOGENESIS
GERM CELLS
GONADS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HORMONES
IN VITRO
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MALE GENITALS
NUCLEIC ACID REPLICATION
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PYRIMIDINES
RIBOSIDES
SPERMATOGENESIS
SPERMATOGONIA
SPERMATOZOA
TESTES
THYMIDINE
TRANSPLANTS
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES
VIABILITY