How to translate text using browser tools
16 May 2012 CD9 Is Expressed on Human Male Germ Cells That Have a Long-Term Repopulation Potential after Transplantation into Mouse Testes
Khaled Zohni, Xianfan Zhang, Seang Lin Tan, Peter Chan, Makoto Nagano
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) play critical roles in lifelong maintenance of male fertility and regeneration of spermatogenesis. These cells are expected to provide an important resource for male fertility preservation and restoration. A basic strategy has been proposed that would involve harvesting testis biopsy specimens from a cancer patient prior to cancer therapies, and transplanting them back to the patient at a later time; then, SSCs included in the specimens would regenerate spermatogenesis. To clinically apply this strategy, isolating live human SSCs is important. In this study, we investigated whether CD9, a known rodent SSC marker, is expressed on human male germ cells that can repopulate recipient mouse testes upon transplantation. Testicular tissues were obtained from men with obstructive azoospermia. Using immunohistochemistry, we found that CD9 was expressed in human male germ cells in the basal compartment of the seminiferous epithelium. Following immunomagnetic cell sorting, CD9-positive cells were enriched for germ cells expressing MAGEA4, which is expressed by spermatogonia and some early spermatocytes, compared with unsorted cells. We then transplanted CD9-positive cells into nude mouse testes and detected an approximately 3- to 4-fold enrichment of human germ cells that repopulated mouse testes for at least 4 mo after transplantation, compared with unsorted cells. We also observed that some cell turnover occurred in human germ cell colonies in recipient testes. These results demonstrate that CD9 identifies human male germ cells with capability of long-term survival and cell turnover in the xenogeneic testis environment.

© 2012 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.
Khaled Zohni, Xianfan Zhang, Seang Lin Tan, Peter Chan, and Makoto Nagano "CD9 Is Expressed on Human Male Germ Cells That Have a Long-Term Repopulation Potential after Transplantation into Mouse Testes," Biology of Reproduction 87(2), (16 May 2012). https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.112.098913
Received: 4 January 2012; Accepted: 1 May 2012; Published: 16 May 2012
KEYWORDS
cell sorting
human
identification marker
spermatogonial progenitors
Transplantation
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top