Biomaterial Database

Isolation and short-term culture of mouse spermatocytes for analysis of meiosis. 2009

Sophie La Salle, and Fengyun Sun, and Mary Ann Handel

The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA.

Understanding meiosis is facilitated by in vitro experimental approaches, but this has not been easily applicable to mammalian meiocytes. Available methods for in vitro analysis of mammalian oocytes are generally limited to experimental analysis of the late prophase period. Short-term cultures of male germ cells have been useful for analysis of earlier meiotic prophase pathways, as well as onset of the meiotic division phase, but no studies have achieved reliable spermatogenesis in vitro. Here we describe a method for preparing highly enriched pachytene spermatocytes from mouse testicular cell suspensions using cell-size fractionation by sedimentation through a bovine serum albumin gradient at unit gravity. We also provide a procedure for short-term culture of spermatocytes and the pharmacological induction of the prophase-to-division phase transition.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008540	Meiosis	A type of CELL NUCLEUS division, occurring during maturation of the GERM CELLS. Two successive cell nucleus divisions following a single chromosome duplication (S PHASE) result in daughter cells with half the number of CHROMOSOMES as the parent cells.	M Phase, Meiotic,Meiotic M Phase,M Phases, Meiotic,Meioses,Meiotic M Phases,Phase, Meiotic M,Phases, Meiotic M
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D002469	Cell Separation	Techniques for separating distinct populations of cells.	Cell Isolation,Cell Segregation,Isolation, Cell,Cell Isolations,Cell Segregations,Cell Separations,Isolations, Cell,Segregation, Cell,Segregations, Cell,Separation, Cell,Separations, Cell
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013090	Spermatocytes	Male germ cells derived from SPERMATOGONIA. The euploid primary spermatocytes undergo MEIOSIS and give rise to the haploid secondary spermatocytes which in turn give rise to SPERMATIDS.	Spermiocytes,Spermatocyte,Spermiocyte
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
D018929	Cell Culture Techniques	Methods for maintaining or growing CELLS in vitro.	Cell Culture,Cell Culture Technique,Cell Cultures,Culture Technique, Cell,Culture Techniques, Cell