Leukaemia inhibitory factor stimulates proliferation of prospermatogonial stem cells

Abstract

The effect of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on the proliferation of prospermatogonial stem cells was testedin vitro. Pieces of 3-day-old rat testis were cultured in the presence of a range of doses of LIF alone or in combination with 1 ng mL ^-1 seminiferous growth factor (SGF). Stimulation of the proliferative activity of quiescent prospermatogonia was detected immunocytochemically with a cell proliferation kit. After 24 h culture, LIF signicantly increased the percentage of labelled prospermatogonia, with the peak of activity at 20 pg mL ^-1 . The combination of LIF and SGF resulted in a decrease in DNA synthetic activity of the germ cells. Hence, LIF and SGF play a role in local regulation at the onset of spermatogenesis in the rat testis.