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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Decellularised whole ovine testis as a potential bio-scaffold for tissue engineering

Aram Akbarzadeh A , Maral Kianmanesh A , Kiarad Fendereski A , Maryam Ebadi A , Seyedeh Sima Daryabari A , Ahmad Masoomi A , Fereshteh Ghazisaeedi A , Reza Seyyed Hossein Beigi A , Reyhaneh Sheikh A and Abdol-Mohammad Kajbafzadeh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7804-6285 A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Paediatric Urology and Regenerative Medicine Research Centre, Children’s Medical Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 62, Dr. Gharib Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran.

B Corresponding author. Email: kajbafzd@sina.tums.ac.ir

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 31(11) 1665-1673 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD19070
Submitted: 16 January 2019  Accepted: 16 May 2019   Published: 20 June 2019

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine an efficient whole-organ decellularisation protocol of a human-sized testis by perfusion through the testicular arteries. In the first step of this study, we determined the most efficient detergent agent, whereas the second phase delineated the optimal time required for the decellularisation process. Initially sheep testes were decellularised by one of three different detergent agents: sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), Triton X-100 and trypsin-ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) solutions, each perfused for 6 h. In the second phase, the selected detergent agent was applied for different time periods. A total number of 20 organs were processed during this investigation. The efficacy of the decellularisation process and the preservation of the extracellular matrix components and structure were evaluated by histopathological examinations, 4′,6′-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, DNA quantification, hydroxyproline measurement, magnetic resonance imaging and scanning electron microscopy. Organ perfusion with 1% SDS solution for 6 to 8 h demonstrated the most desirable outcomes regarding decellularisation and extracellular matrix preservation. The 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the toxicity of the scaffold and its potential for further application in tissue-engineering investigations. This investigation introduces an efficient method to produce a three-dimensional testicular bio-scaffold resembling the properties of the native organ that could be employed in tissue-engineering studies.

Additional keywords: extracellular matrix, infertility, regenerative medicine, reproduction, whole-organ decellularization.


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