Type: Article

Testis-derived extracellular matrix scaffolds: Evaluation of fresh and frozen tissue decellularization for applications in male infertility therapy

Authors

Corresponding Author

Tooba Mirzapour

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64636/ar.30

Abstract

Differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) on decellularized biological scaffolds has emerged as a novel approach in tissue engineering and male infertility treatment. Testis-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds provide a natural microenvironment that can support SSC culture and differentiation. In this study, we compared the efficiency of different detergents for the decellularization of fresh and frozen human testicular tissues. Human testicular tissue samples were divided into 2 groups: fresh and frozen at -80 °C. Cellular decellularization was performed using concentrations of 0.5% and 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and Triton x100 alone and in combination. The extent of cell removal and reduction in cell DNA content was examined using histological studies and one-way ANOVA statistical method. Frozen tissues exposed sequentially to 1% SDS for 24 h followed by 1% Triton X-100 for 24 h showed the highest efficiency in removing cellular components while maintaining ECM integrity, compared with fresh tissues. Moreover, frozen testicular matrices demonstrated greater resistance to detergent-induced damage than fresh matrices. Both detergent concentration and tissue condition (fresh vs. frozen) are critical determinants of scaffold quality in testicular decellularization. Optimizing these parameters may facilitate the development of natural testis-derived scaffolds for reproductive tissue engineering. In the future, seeding germ cells from patients with non-obstructive azoospermia onto these optimized scaffolds under differentiation-inducing conditions may provide a promising strategy for male infertility treatment.

Keywords:

Decellularization, Sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton x100, Male infertility

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Published

11-10-2025

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding this study.

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Data can be provided by corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Vol. 1 No. 2 (2025): Animal Reports | Open access

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Copyright (c) 2025 Seyedeh Fezeh Hashemi Karouei, Tooba Mirzapour, Roghayeh Pourbagher, Mir Mohammad Reza Aghajani (Author)

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Hashemi Karouei, Seyedeh Fezeh, Tooba Mirzapour, Roghayeh Pourbagher, and Mir Mohammad Reza Aghajani. 2025. “Testis-Derived Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds: Evaluation of Fresh and Frozen Tissue Decellularization for Applications in Male Infertility Therapy”. Animal Reports 1 (2): 118-36. https://doi.org/10.64636/ar.30.

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