Biomaterial Database

In vitro differentiation of male germ line cells from sea urchin testis. 1988

D Poccia

Department of Biology, Amherst College, Massachusetts 01002.

Fragments of sea urchin testicular tissue were cultured at 15 degrees C in serum-supplemented seawater for 5 weeks. Cells whose DNA had been pulse-labelled with 3H-thymidine at the beginning of the experiment were followed by autoradiography, and counts were made of the proportions of each male germ-line cell type from sections of tissue at several time points. Differentiation of spermatogonia to mid-spermatids occurred within the first 10 days, with a decline of about 40% in the total number of spermatogonia and an increase of 250% in the number of mid-spermatids. Thereafter, no changes occurred in the proportions of germ-line cells, although tissue integrity was maintained throughout. The results indicate that sea urchin male germ-line cells can complete meiosis and the first stages of spermiogenesis including nuclear condensation and cytoplasmic reduction in culture with kinetics similar to those in vivo. The system should permit analysis of factors responsible for male germ-cell differentiation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D003470	Culture Media	Any liquid or solid preparation made specifically for the growth, storage, or transport of microorganisms or other types of cells. The variety of media that exist allow for the culturing of specific microorganisms and cell types, such as differential media, selective media, test media, and defined media. Solid media consist of liquid media that have been solidified with an agent such as AGAR or GELATIN.	Media, Culture
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
D012617	Sea Urchins	Somewhat flattened, globular echinoderms, having thin, brittle shells of calcareous plates. They are useful models for studying FERTILIZATION and EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT.	Echinoidea,Sand-Dollar,Clypeasteroida,Sand Dollars,Clypeasteroidas,Dollar, Sand,Dollars, Sand,Echinoideas,Sand Dollar,Sand-Dollars,Sea Urchin,Urchin, Sea,Urchins, Sea
D013091	Spermatogenesis	The process of germ cell development in the male from the primordial germ cells, through SPERMATOGONIA; SPERMATOCYTES; SPERMATIDS; to the mature haploid SPERMATOZOA.	Spermatocytogenesis,Spermiogenesis
D013936	Thymidine	A nucleoside in which THYMINE is linked to DEOXYRIBOSE.	2'-Deoxythymidine,Deoxythymidine,2' Deoxythymidine
D046508	Culture Techniques	Methods of maintaining or growing biological materials in controlled laboratory conditions. These include the cultures of CELLS; TISSUES; organs; or embryo in vitro. Both animal and plant tissues may be cultured by a variety of methods. Cultures may derive from normal or abnormal tissues, and consist of a single cell type or mixed cell types.	Culture Technique,Technique, Culture,Techniques, Culture