Development of human Graafian follicles following transplantation of human ovarian tissue into NOD/SCID/gammac null mice.

PROBLEM: Transplantation of human ovarian cortex into host mice may permit various kinds of challenges in reproductive medicine. A novel immunodeficient mouse strain (NOD/SCID/gammacnull: NOG) has been developed as a host of transplantation of human tissue.

METHOD OF STUDY: Human ovarian cortex was transplanted into various sites of NOG mice and human follicular development was examined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: Transplantation of human ovarian tissue into NOG mice resulted in approximately similar tissue survival and follicle growth as did transplantation into non-obese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficient mice. The human Graafian follicle from NOG mouse expressed the same steroidogenic enzymes as observed in human Graafian follicles, which developed in the human body. The NOG mice's ovarian bursa was better placed for transplantation than the back skin or kidney capsule.

CONCLUSION: These results represent the successful generation and biological confirmation of the human Graafian follicles from the human ovarian cortex in the NOG mice.