Transplantation of the testis; from the past to the present

Abstract

Since the development of surgery, the possibility of testis transplantation has fascinated man for centuries. Hunter and Berthold are considered to be the most important investigators in this field and, in addition, to be the founders of modern endocrinology. The association of testis transplantation with rejuvenation led to widespread popularity for this treatment in the first three decades of the twentieth century. At the same time, controversies concerning the aim of the treatment have coloured the early years of endocrinology. In the 1960s renewed interest in the subject arose for experimental reasons, leading to the development of microsurgical techniques for autotransplantation of high-lying undescended testes in children. Homologous testis transplantation has never become a subject of great interest, probably for ethical reasons. This possible treatment for hypogonadism, however, has been developed experimentally and has been performed in man only in Russia and China, evidently with success. The details of these studies and their outcomes are discussed.

The Immunophysiology of Male Reproduction

“…[27][28][29] In the early part of the last century prior to the discovery of the male sex hormone, testosterone, transplantation of male gonads, including transplants of animal gonads into humans, was undertaken by charlatans and serious researchers alike in the search for treatments to increase male health and virility. 30,31 It was quickly noted that, although the function of the interstitial tissue appeared to continue in these transplant experiments, tubule function was not preserved. 32 While there is no doubt that temperature and revascularization issues were FIGURE 19.1 Developmental timeline of spermatogenesis and the maturation of the immune system.…”

“…Evidence suggests that testicular tissue and some testicular cells, in particular, have inherent characteristics that may make them more amenable to transplantation. 30,940,941 However, just as intratesticular grafts produce different outcomes in different studies, studies on transplantation of testicular tissue have met with variable degrees of success. Early observations were that fetal and postnatal testis tissues are viable as grafts under the kidney capsule of outbred rats, but that adult testis tissue is quickly rejected.…”

Functional capacity of the thyroid autograft and heterograft: An experimental study

“…In the following decades, this principle was applied on the parathyroid and pancreatic glands with great success 17, 18. However, no similar success has been achieved for adrenal, testicular, or ovarian tissue 19–21…”

Doctor Sergei Abramovich Voronoff (Serge Voronoff) — the Сhampion for preserving youth and eternal life. At the origins of transplant endocrinology

“…он провел около 500 трансплантаций половых желез животным (овцы, козы, козлы, быки, лошади и др.) [8,9,23,24]. В качестве донорских использовал гонады молодых животных, которые пересаживал старым особям того же вида.…”