Figure 2

Testicular cells from chemoablated mouse in culture. (A) Higher magnification of cells in culture to show a close association of differentiating germ cells with the attached Sertoli cells which resemble mesenchymal fibroblasts. (B) Different sized cells were observed in the culture suggestive of the presence of meiotic and post-meiotic germ cells. At places, initial stages of spermiogenesis were observed including spermatids in different stages of development. These cells which appear over time as a result of differentiation were completely lacking in initial cultures. (C) Sperm were observed after 2 weeks of culture. Lower panel. RT-PCR analysis of RNA isolated from cells harvested on Day 7 cultures showed presence of Gfra, Dazl, protamine, prohibitin suggestive of presence of spermatogonial stem cells, germ cells, spermatocytes and sperm in culture. These cultures were neither homogenous nor synchronized, rather comprised cells in various stages of differentiation.