Fig. 2.

Germ-cell marker gene expression in vitrified-warmed prepubertal testicular tissue. Relative expression of KIT, OCT4 (POUF5), TERT, and ZBDB16 (PLZF) in tissue subjected to vitrification and in vitro cultured for 2 (V2h) or 24 h post-warming (V24h). Relative controls consisted in testicular tissue (not cryopreserved) analyzed immediately (C0h) or in vitro cultured for 2 (C2h) or 24 h (C24h). Relative abundance values are expressed as ΔCq and show the mean value ± SEM of 10 replicates per experimental group. Target gene abundance was normalized against the geometrical mean of four reference genes (ACTB, RPL19, SDHA, and YWHAZ). Different letters indicate a significant difference in relative mRNA abundance (ANOVA P < 0.05) among the groups