Organoids grown from testicular cells of young mice have shown characteristics of normal mouse testes and have potential to produce sperm.
Using cells from very young mice, researchers at Bar-Ilan University, Israel grew testes organoids that maintained a structure and gene expression profile similar to in vivo testes, and could provide a model for researching testicular development and fertility.
'Artificial testicles are a promising model for basic research on testicle development and function, which can be translated into therapeutic applications for disorders of sexual development and infertility,' explained Dr Nitzan Gonen, the research group leader.
The study, published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences, used testicular cells from neonatal or embryonic mice to grow organoids that closely resembled the mouse testicle genetically and structurally. Attempts to generate organoids from adult testicular cells were not successful.
The testes are responsible for sperm production of some hormones. During development the more immature cells are responsible for generating the testes' structure, however, the adult testes cells generate mature sperm. While the organoids did share structural and genetic characteristics with normal mouse testicles, including indication of spermatids entering meiosis, these lab-grown testicles are not yet confirmed to be fully functioning, sperm-producing organs.
'We still cannot say for sure if our organoids allow full sperm production in the dish, but we saw signs that the germ cells in the organoids we generated are entering meiosis,' Dr Gonen said. 'We are working now to better understand if we managed to produce sperm.'
As there are currently no in vitro methods for studying the testes, these organoids could provide a model for studying testicular development, fertility and toxicity. The organoids can be cultured for up to nine weeks currently, which hypothetically provides enough time to generate sperm cells as spermatogenesis takes around 35 days.
One area of interest is translation to human studies. Boys who undergo treatments such as chemotherapy often become infertile. Using the immature testicular cells from pre-pubertal boys prior to chemotherapy, the group hopes to culture human testicular organoids that will be able to produce sperm which could later be used in fertility treatment.
Sources and References
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Towards a 'testis in a dish': Generation of mouse testicular organoids that recapitulate testis structure and expression profiles
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Artificial Testicles
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Maybe Baby Fertility breakthrough as scientists successfully grow working 'testicles in a dish'
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In breakthrough, Bar-Ilan University scientists form artificial lab-grown testicles
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First-ever lab-grown testicles may be capable of producing sperm
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