A new human immature teratoma cell line, TES-1, was established from a surgical specimen from a 12-year old male with third ventricular immature teratoma. TES-1 shows polygonal morphology rich in neurites, and proliferated as adherent monolayer, with an approximate population doubling time of 48 hours. Electron microscopic analysis revealed the presence of swollen rough endoplasmic reticulum, and prominent lipid droplets, lysosomes and microfilaments. The chromosome numbers were between 41 and 160 (mode 78), including abnormal karyotypes 1p-, 5q-, 12p+ and 17p+ (G-band analysis). Hetero-transplantation of TES-1 into BALB/c nude mice produced no visible tumors. Multipotential differentiation was not induced in TES-1 monolayer culture, but significant neuron specific enolase activity was expressed in both extracellular (by RIA method) and intracellular fractions (by immunohistochemical method), suggesting the differentiation toward neurocytes. This cell line provides a useful in vitro model for the pathophysiological analysis of immature teratoma.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of cardiac arrest on the blood-testis barrier to albumin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide, sucrose, and verapamil in the mouse.

Impotence commonly occurs after events such as acute myocardial infarction, coronary bypass, head trauma, and cerebral bleeding, including subarachnoid hemorrhage. We hypothesize that the hypoxia accompanying these events could damage the blood-testis barrier (BTB) and so cause testicular dysfunction, a possible cause of impotence. We examined the effect of cardiac arrest in mice on testis weight and various aspects of BTB function. Testis weight was decreased by about 24% 12 hours after cardiac arrest but had recovered fully by day 7. The testis/serum ratio for albumin was increased 12 hours after arrest, showing a disruption in the vascular BTB with recovery by 24 hours. The testis/serum ratio for sucrose was not consistently elevated, showing that the Sertoli cell BTB remained intact. The testis/serum ratio for verapamil was increased on day 3 of cardiac arrest, suggesting impaired function of the BTB's p-glycoprotein efflux transporter. Transporters for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were not affected by cardiac arrest. These results show that cardiac arrest affects testis weight and some aspects of BTB function. Such changes might have long-term effects on testicular function.

Albumins↗