Figure 1. Seminiferous tubule growth (A) and intra-tubular necrosis (B) during organotypic culture of prepubertal mice testes under the different culture conditions assessed.

(A) Seminiferous tubule area was defined using software (red circle) and area was automatically generated (green rectangle). (B) The percentage of partially (arrow head) or totally (star) necrotic seminiferous tubules were assessed as well as number of pyknotic nuclei (head).

(1-2-3) Organotypic culture of fresh immature mice testicular tissue after 0 (1) or 11 (2 and 3) days of culture with RE6 (2) or RERA5 (3)

(4-5-6) Organotypic culture of frozen-thawed testicular tissue with stabilisation phase at –8°C (5) and -9°C (6) compared to fresh control organotypic culture (4)

Footnotes:

RE6: 10^-6M retinol ; RERA5: 10^-5M retinoic acid and 3.3.10^-7M retinol