Effect of site of transplantation on follicular development of human ovarian tissue transplanted into intact or castrated immunodeficient mice

HERNANDEZ-FONSECA, H. J.; BOSCH, P.; SIRISATHIEN, S; WININGER, J. D.; MASSEY, J. B.; BRACKETT, B. G.

FERTILITY AND STERILITY

Elsevier

Año: 2004 vol. 81 p. 888 - 892

0015-0282

Objective: To study the response of human ovarian xenografts to transplantation into different sites and in different host conditions. Design: Controlled experiment. Setting: Academic research laboratory, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, U.S.A. Intervention(s): Human ovarian cortical pieces were transplanted either under the kidney capsule or to the subcutaneous space of intact or castrated male non-obese diabetic (NOD) severe combined immune-deficient (SCID) mice. Grafts were recovered following euthanasia. Main Outcome Measure(s): Microscopic examination of histologic sections to determine proportions of growing follicles, and serum estradiol concentration measurements. Result(s): Six months post transplantation, ovarian grafts transplanted under the kidney capsule of intact male mice had significantly higher proportions of growing follicles compared to those recovered from the castrated/kidney capsule and intact/subcutaneous groups. However, no difference was detected between the intact/kidney capsule and the castrated/subcutaneous groups. Mean estradiol concentrations in serum were non-significantly increased in mice with ovarian grafts compared with those in mice without a graft. Conclusions(s): Follicular development in xenotransplanted human ovarian tissue is influenced by the site of transplantation and the condition of the host.