Testicular Transplantation in the Rat Model: The Comparison of Testosterone, Gonadotropin, and Histological Change in Allogenic and Isogenic Transplantation Group, and Implantation Group / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The fate of avascular implants was compared with that of testicular transplants using vascular anastomosis in castrated inbred rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mature inbred male rats were bilaterally castrated and received one testicle as a transplant to the scrotum. The blood supply of the grafts was reestablished by performing an end-to-side anastomosis between an aorto-caval segment of the donor bearing the testicular vessels and the abdominal aorta plus vena cava of the recipient. The average ischemia was 90 min. Lutenizing hormone(LH), follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) and testosterone were determined by radioimmunoassay in serum samples. RESULTS: In 12 transplant recipients(6 isografts and 6 allografts), a good blood perfusion of the graft was achieved. Out of these, 6 isogenic transplants maintained normal testosterone,LH and FSH during follow up. Implant recipients,however, all displayed a strking early rise of the serum gonadotropins and concomitant castrsted levels of serum testosterone. CONCLUSIONS: Vascular transplantation rather than simple implantation is the method of choice for further research. And in allogenic testicular transplantation, there remains a problem of rejection after the operation, as in any other organ transplantation.