Figure 3
Spermatogenesis in PL device. (A) A testis tissue fragment of an Acr-Gfp mouse, at 4.5 dpp, was spread flat in MF, and expressed GFP uniformly, pictured at 41 days in culture. The central area of the tissue cultured with the AG method appeared greenish but lacked GFP expression. (B) In the tissue of the 3.5 dpp transgenic mouse, cultured for 39 days, cap-like and arched-shaped GFP condensations were observed, indicating the development of round (blank arrowhead) and elongating (solid arrowhead) spermatids, respectively. (C) Testis tissue cultured for 66 days maintained uniform GFP expression. In the same tissue, histological examination showed many germ cells including spermatogonia, spermatocytes, round spermatids (blank arrowhead), and elongating (solid arrowhead) spermatids filling seminiferous tubules. (D) The rates of the seminiferous tubules containing meiotic germ cells (meiosis), round spermatids (RS), and elongating spermatids (ES) in the 7th week of culture were compared in PL (red) and AG (blue). (E) Acr-Gfp mouse, 0.5 dpp, testis tissues were cultured in PL and MF devices for 54 days. Extensive GFP expression throughout the tissue was observed in both devices. (F) The proportion of GFP expression area was monitored for 8 weeks in each group of MF, PL, and AG. Scale bars: 500 µm (A,E), 25 µm (B), 500 µm (C, upper), 50 µm (C, lower), and 10 µm (C, inlet).
