Long-term ex vivo maintenance of testis tissues producing fertile sperm in a microfluidic device

• Project/Area Number: 26861281
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Urology
• Research Institution: Yokohama City University
• Principal Investigator: KOMEYA Mitsuru 横浜市立大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 客員研究員 (60721082)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥3,120,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥720,000)
• Keywords: 男性不妊 / 精子形成 / マイクロ流体 / 組織培養

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The causes of male infertility are mostly attributed to the dysfunction of spermatogenesis. However, the mechanism and treatment of spermatogenetic failure are not well revealed. The achievement of human in vitro spermatogenesis will be a powerful tool to reveal the mechanism of male infertility. In 2011, we improved the air-liquid interphase method and achieved in vitro spermatogenesis in mice. The durability and efficiency of spermatogenesis were low in the culture system. Therefore, we imitated the in vivo micro-environment using the microfluidic technology which was derived from the technique manufacturing the semiconductor. The microfluidic device maintained the two major functions of the testis, spermatogenesis and hormone production, for more than 6 months. It will enable us to disclose the mechanism of spermatogenesis precisely mimicking in vivo condition.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Long-term ex vivo maintenance of testis tissues producing fertile sperm in a microfluidic device (2016)
  • Author(s): M. Komeya, H. Kimura, H. Nakamura, T. Yokonishi, T. Sato, K. Kojima, K. Hayashi, K. Katagiri, H. Yamanaka, H. Sanjo, M. Yao, S. Kamimura, K. Inoue, N. Ogonuki, A. Ogura, T. Fujii, T. Ogawa
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Pages: 21472-21472
  • DOI: 10.1038/srep21472
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Long-term ex vivo maintenance of testis tissues producing fertile sperm in a microfluidic device (2016)
  • Author(s): M. Komeya, K. Hayashi, H. Yamanaka, H. Sanjo, T. Sato, K. Katagiri, M. Yao, H. Kimura, T. Fujii, and T. Ogaw
  • Organizer: 第31回欧州泌尿器科学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: メッセ ミュンヘン（ミュンヘン、ドイツ）
  • Year and Date: 2016-03-14
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 精子形成を長期間維持できるin vitro精巣組織培養システムの開発 (2016)
  • Author(s): 古目谷 暢，林 功晃，山中 弘行，三條 博之，小島 一晃，片桐 久美子，佐藤 卓也，矢尾 正祐，木村 啓志，藤井 輝夫，小川 毅彦
  • Organizer: 第20回日本生殖内分泌学会学術集会
  • Place of Presentation: 神戸国際会議場（兵庫県）
  • Year and Date: 2016-01-09
• [Presentation] 生体内における物質供給を疑似的に再現したin vitro精子形成システムの開発 (2015)
  • Author(s): 古目谷 暢、横西 哲広 、佐藤 卓也 、片桐 久美子 、木村 啓志、藤井 輝夫 、矢尾 正祐、小川 毅彦
  • Organizer: 第34回日本アンドロロジー学会
  • Place of Presentation: 福岡大学病院 メディカルホール（福岡県）
  • Year and Date: 2015-06-27
• [Presentation] Andrology研究の最前線 精巣組織培養法 (2015)
  • Author(s): 古目谷 暢、小川 毅彦
  • Organizer: 第103回日本泌尿器科学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: 石川県立音楽堂（石川県）
  • Year and Date: 2015-04-20
  • Invited
• [Presentation] 生体内環境を疑似的に再現した次世代型in vitro精子形成システムの開発 (2015)
  • Author(s): 古目谷 暢、横西 哲広 、佐藤 卓也 、片桐 久美子 、木村 啓志、藤井 輝夫 、矢尾 正祐、小川 毅彦
  • Organizer: 第103回日本泌尿器科学会総会
  • Place of Presentation: ANAクラウンプラザホテル金沢（石川県）
  • Year and Date: 2015-04-18