Fig. 5.

Functional analysis of SSC activity by spermatogonial transplantation into pup recipients. A: Macroscopic appearance of recipient testes following transplantation of Fucci-ROSA GS cells after cell sorting. Equal numbers of cells were transplanted, and the testes were recovered for LacZ staining 2 months after transplantation. Individual blue tubules indicate colonies of spermatogenesis arising from donor stem cells. B: Colony number. Results of seven transplantation experiments involving at least 11 recipient testes. C: Immunostaining of GS cells using antibodies against activated RAC1, CLDN3, CLDN7, and CLDN8. Logarithmically growing GS cells were centrifuged by cytospin and stained with the indicated antibodies. Bars = 1 mm (A), 20 μm (C).