Figure 2
From: Spermatogonial stem cell enrichment using simple grafting of testis and in vitro cultivation
Morphology and alkaline phosphatase staining of cultured SSCs from adult mouse testis tissues 1 week (upper panel) and 2 weeks (lower panel) after grafting into recipient nude mice.
(A) Typical morphology of the attached SSC colonies from the small number of remaining somatic cells in the SSC culture medium containing four growth factors. In the non-graft tissues, initial SSC clumps (1–5 cells) were formed on the culture plate and somatic cells were enriched after a 1-week culture. However, at the second passage, the SSC colonies disappeared after a 2-week culture. Photographs of the primary SSC colonies of the graft groups on the culture plate showing the small-sized (10–20 cells) clumps after a 1-week culture (upper panel). Photographs of the second-passage SSC colonies on the culture plate showing the increased-size colonies after a 2-week culture (lower panel). (B) Alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity of SSC colonies growing from the small number of remaining somatic cells. (C) Histological appearance (hematoxylin and eosin staining) of adult testis. (I) region of interstitial cells, (S) region of SSCs. Immunolocalization of E-cadherin or 3β-HSD in the adult testis and testis-derived SSCs after a 2-week culture. SSCs were characterized by AP staining. Note: Scale bars, 50 μm.
