Donor Sertoli cells transplanted into irradiated rat testes stimulate partial recovery of endogenous spermatogenesis

Abstract

Irradiation of rat testes leads to the failure to support differentiation of the surviving spermatogonia due to damage of the somatic environment. To determine the involvement of Sertoli cells in this somatic damage, we transplanted seminiferous tubule cells from normal immature GFP-transgenic rats into the testes of irradiated rats. The donor Sertoli cells colonized and developed in the host testes. In many seminiferous tubules, the donor Sertoli cells formed abnormal spherical structures in the lumen, but in some tubules they formed a normal-appearing epithelium, but with only isolated spermatogonia, on the basement membrane. When the donor cells were injected into the interstitial region of the testis, they formed tubule-like structures containing Sertoli cells and occasional isolated spermatogonia, both of donor origin. Surprisingly, in host tubules adjacent to these newly formed donor-cell tubules or adjacent to the endogenous tubules with abnormal donor Sertoli-cell structures, endogenous spermatogonia differentiated to the spermatocyte or even to spermatid stages. Around these newly donor cell-formed tubules and the host tubules with abnormal donor Sertoli-cell structures, many cells including macrophages, which perhaps represented chronic inflammation, accumulated in the interstitium. We conclude that the donor Sertoli cells that colonized the seminiferous tubules did not directly support recovery of spermatogenesis. Instead, the colonizing Sertoli cells acted indirectly on the interstitium to stimulate localized differentiation of endogenous spermatogonia.

Leydig cells contribute to the inhibition of spermatogonial differentiation after irradiation of the rat

“…Since Sertoli cells interact most closely with germ cells and display changes in gene expression when germ cells are lost (Cheng & Bardin, 1987; Guitton et al , 2000) they are most likely involved in signaling the loss of germ cells to lead to the induction of the block. A second observation is that transplantation of normal Sertoli cells from young rats to the interstitium of irradiated rat testes stimulates recovery of spermatogonial differentiation in adjacent tubules (Zhang et al , 2009). And the third is our previous observations that FSH enhances the spermatogonial differentiation block (Shetty et al , 2006), which clearly shows that Sertoli cells also have some role in the inhibition of spermatogonial differentiation.…”

Spermatogonial behavior in rats during radiation-induced arrest and recovery after hormone suppression

“…Reciprocal spermatogonial transplantation experiments have shown functionally that the defect caused by irradiation in the rat testes that results in the block of spermatogonial differentiation must be due to injury to the somatic compartment, not the germ cells (Zhang et al 2007). Furthermore, they have also shown that the transplantation of Sertoli cells from normal immature rats into the interstitium of testes of irradiated rats stimulates partial recovery of endogenous spermatogenesis (Zhang et al 2009).…”

Histomorphological Processes in the Testicular Tissue at Ionizing Radiation Exposure (Literature Review)

“…Иccлeдoвaниe пaтoмopфoлoгoв пoзвoлили уcтaнoвить, чтo клeтки, утpaчивaя cвязь c cуcтeнтoцитaми, пoдвepгaютcя лизиcу ядepнoгo aппapaтa [49]. В изучeннoй нaми литepaтуpe былa нaйдeнa paбoтa, coглacнo кoтopoй нa мecтe пoгибших cпepмaтoцитoв в эпитeлии кaнaльцeв нepeдкo вoзникaют пoлocти oкpуглoй фopмы.…”

“…Aнaлиз литepaтуpы, пpoвeдeнный в дaннoй paбoтe, cвидeтeльcтвуeт o том, чтo пocлe вoздeйcтвия γ-излучeния в дoзaх пo-pядкa 1,0-3,0 Гp диффepeнциaция cпep-мaтoгoний пoлнocтью пpeкpaщaeтcя. Cлe-дoвaтeльнo, иcтoщeниe cпepмaтoгoний в пocлeдующeм зaкoнoмepнo oтpaжaeтcя в cнижeнии пpoдукции cпepмaтoзoидoв [49]. При вoздeйcтвии cублeтaльнoй дoзы γ-излучeния уцeлeвшиe cпepмaтoгoнии, пpeдcтaвляющиe coбoй диплoидныe клeтки c oтнocитeльнo бoльшим кoличecтвoм цитoплaзмы, eщё нe утpaчeннoй в пpo-цecce дaльнeйшeгo пpeoбpaзoвaния гa-мeт, oблaдaют выcoкoй cпocoбнocтью к peпapaции пoвpeждeний, пoлучeнных в peзультaтe oблучeния и, кaк извecтнo из литepaтуpных иcтoчникoв, пepeдaют дaльнeйшим пoкoлeниям пoлoвых клeтoк мeньшe пoвpeждeний, чeм пoлучили caми.…”