Autologus Transplantation Of Intact Mouse Ovaries In Gluteus Superficialis Muscle

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Embryology Department, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

2 Anatomy Department, Baghyatallah University, Tehran, Iran

3 Biology Department, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Garmsar Azad University, Garmsar, Iran

4 Animal Biology Department, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Azad University, Tehran, Iran

5 Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Anti-cancer therapies frequently lead to ovarian damage and defective fertility. To preserve fertility, cryopreservation and subsequent transplantation of the ovaries has been suggested. The aim of this study was to investigate the survival of follicles in intact intramuscular mouse autologous ovaries, according to the time the ovarian tissue remained in the grafted site.
Materials and Methods: Ovaries (n=9) were transplanted intramuscularly into gluteus superficialis. These grafted ovaries were removed after one, two and three weeks from the grafted site. A histological examination and counting of follicles was then performed. Some ovaries (n= 3) from the same mice were selected randomly for the control group. Hematoxyline and eosin (H & E) staining was used for follicle counting and TUNEL staining for the examination of apoptosis in grafted tissues.
Results: Mean follicular survival was significantly lower in experimental groups compared to the control group (non-grafted) (p<0.05), because of ischemic damages. Also healthy primordial follicle numbers in grafted ovaries were higher than other types.
Conclusion: Antral follicles are the most sensitive to ischemic damages and primordial follicles are the least sensitive. Also the presence of healthy follicles in grafted tissues shows that ovarian transplantation could be a promising method for infertility treatment of patients diagnosed with cancer.

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