Effect of Activated Platelet-Rich Plasma on In Vitro Spermatogenesis in Testicular Organoids

Authors : Merve Bulut, Selin Önen, Merve Gizer, Cansel Özmen, Petek Korkusuz, Nilgün Öksel

Pages : 537-545

Doi:10.32708/uutfd.1764346

View : 58 | Download : 219

Publication Date : 2025-12-08

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Infertility affects 10–20% of couples, and male-related factors contribute to 30–50% of cases. Although testicular organoids (TOs) support in vitro spermatogenesis, one of the most significant limitations of these approaches is the undefined nature of serum and/or xenogenic growth factors used in the culture media. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has a regenerative effect on spermatogenesis after testicular damage and maintains the proliferation and function of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in vitro. In this study, prepubertal C57BL/6 testicular cells were cultured with activated PRP using ultra-low attachment and air–liquid interface culture systems. Spermatogenic progression was evaluated at weeks 1, 3, 4, and 6 through histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. In TOs supported with 10% PRP (PRP group), the SSC pool was preserved for 6 weeks, and the number of ID4(+) SSCs was higher than that in TOs supported with 10% knockout serum replacement (KK group) and 5% knockout serum replacement + 5% fetal bovine serum (KF group) at weeks 3, 4, and 6. In the PRP group, the number of SCP3(+) spermatocytes remained constant from weeks 1 to 6 and was higher than that in the KK and KF groups at weeks 4 and 6. In all TOs, ACR(+) round spermatids were observed at week 3, and PRP group had more ACR(+) spermatids than KK group at week 4. The results suggest that activated PRP may serve as a promising culture supplement to support spermatogenesis, although its safety and clinical applicability require further investigation.
Keywords : Erkek infertilitesi, Testis organoid kültürü, Aktive trombositten zengin plazma (PRP), İn vitro spermatogenez

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