Objective: To investigate the feasibility of constructing a mouse model of spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) transplant recipient by high-temperature heat stress.
Methods: Four-week-old C57BL/6 male mice and B6(Cg)-Tyrc-2J/J coat color gene homozygous mutant male mice were heat-treated at 43 ℃ for an hour in the incubator. The best transplantation time was determined by HE staining, immunohistochemistry and TUNEL and the SSCs were transplanted into the seminiferous tubules of the mice followed by regular observation of the proliferation, differentiation and spermiogenesis of the SSCs in the testis of the recipient mice. Then the recipients were mated with age-matched normal female mice and the epigenetic features of their offspring were observed.
Results: After 3－5 days of high-temperature heat stress, the spermatogenic cells in the testicular seminiferous tubules of the recipient mice showed obviously decreased layers, disordered and loose arrangement, massive deletion, significant apoptosis, reduced mesenchymal cells and increased autophagy, which were basically recovered in about 12 days. At 8 weeks after transplantation, the isolated and purified SSCs were differentiated into spermatogenic cells and sperm with genetic function in the testicular seminiferous tubules of the recipient mice, and normal offspring were reproduced after natural mating.
Conclusions: High-temperature heat stress can be used as an efficient method for rapid construction of the mouse model of spermatogonial stem cell transplantation recipient.
Keywords: high-temperature heat stress; mouse; spermatogonial stem cell; transplant recipient.