Temperature Sensitivity of Human Spermatogonia and Spermatocytes in Vitro

Abstract

To study the effect of temperature on human spermatogenesis, both the number and DNA synthesis of germ cells were investigated in tissue fragments of human testes cultured for 22 h at 31 d`C and 37d`C. The number of differentiated germ cells such as spermatids and spermatozoa cultured at 37d`C was significantly smaller than that cultured at 31 d`C. The number of spermatogonia and resting primary spermatocytes was not significantly different between these two temperatures, but the functional ability of DNA synthesis in these cells was significantly lower at 37d`C than at 31 d`C. It seems that in normal body temperature (37 d`C) differentiated germ cells such as spermatids and spermatozoa are fragile and the DNA synthesis of spermatogonia and resting primary spermatocytes is retarded.

Key Words:

• Testis
• Spermatozoa
• Temperature
• Tissue Culture