- Record: found
- Abstract: not found
- Article: not found
Isolation of germ cells from human testicular tissue for low temperature storage and autotransplantation
February 2001
February 2001
Read this article at
There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.
Abstract
To develop a new protocol for conserving fertile potential in men undergoing sterilizing
chemotherapy by low temperature banking of germ cells which can be returned to the
patient's testes after thawing.
Isolation of human and murine germ cells for comparing cellular viability after cooling
to liquid nitrogen temperatures by the use of different cryoprotective agents and
for infusion into the testis.
Laboratory research environment.
Men undergoing routine surgery in a urology department.
Testicular biopsy.
Cellular viability and infusion of seminiferous tubules.
After isolation using a two-step enzymatic disaggregation protocol, 66% to 87% of
germ cells from human and murine specimens, respectively, were still viable. Cell
survival was similar in four commonly used cryoprotective agents after cooling to
liquid nitrogen temperatures. Seminiferous tubules infused by back flow with dye solution
via the rete testis were filled with an efficiency of 55%.
Judging from the high viability of unfractionated germ cells, it is feasible to isolate
germ cells from testicular biopsies for low temperature banking with the aim of attempting
to restore fertility after iatrogenic sterilization.