Follicle growth and oocyte development after ovary transplantation into back muscle of immune-intact adult castrated male mice.

Reproduction 140(3):465-76 (2010) PMID 20530631

Ovary grafting is not only a method of investigating follicle and oocyte development, but also a useful model to explore the possibility of the re-establishment of the reproductive axis in male-to-female sexual reversal. This study investigated ovary survival and follicle development after mouse ovaries were transplanted into immune-intact castrated male mice. Ten-day-old mouse ovaries were transplanted into the back muscle of adult outbred castrated male mice treated with immunosuppressants. Twenty-two days later, the ovary structure and the number of follicles present was examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The oocytes were harvested, and then used for in vitro maturation (IVM) and IVF. The results showed that primordial and antral follicles were mainly found in the grafts, and there were obvious differences compared with 32-day-old fresh ovaries (P<0.01). In conclusion, immune-intact adult castrated male mice can support ovary survival and further development of follicles with endocrine function after ovarian transplantation.