Gonocyte transformation in a congenitally cryptorchid rat is normal and may be similar to the situation reported in human acquired cryptorchidism

Abstract

Background: In congenital undescended testis (UDT) in humans, thermal insult damages early germ cell development during mini-puberty (3–6 months) causing increased risk of both cancer and infertility. In rodents however, UDT causes infertility but not cancer. In the TS rat with congenital UDT we hypothesized that early germ cell development would be normal as UDT only becomes manifest at 3–4 weeks (and the germ cells only become sensitive to thermal injury) after minipuberty is complete at 1 week. Methods: Normal testis and potential UDT from unilateral cryptorchid TS rats were collected at week 1 and 4 and processed into paraffin sections labeled for Sertoli cells (AMH), early germ cells (M..