Generation of rat offspring from ovarian oocytes by xenotransplantation

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 20109 - 11
• Main Authors: Taketsuru, Hiroaki, Hirayama, Runa, Nakatsukasa, Ena, Natsume, Rie, Takao, Keizo, Abe, Manabu, Sakimura, Kenji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 29-08-2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/136; 631/1647; 631/61; Allografts; Animals; Brain research; Drug dosages; Embryo; Female; Fertility; Fertilization in Vitro - methods; Follicles; Humanities and Social Sciences; Immunodeficiency; Immunodeficient mouse; In vitro fertilization; Infertility; Juveniles; Methods; Mice; multidisciplinary; Offspring; Offspring production; Oocytes; Ovaries; Ovary; Ovary - transplantation; Ovulation; Physiology; Pseudopregnancy; Rat; Rats; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Transplantation, Heterologous - methods; Xenografts; Xenotransplantation; Ovary; Embryo; Rat; Xenotransplantation; Offspring production; Immunodeficient mouse
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71030-0

The idea of utilizing unused oocytes present in the ovaries has been tested in various ways to produce offspring. However, only a limited number of studies succeeded in offspring generation. They include transplantation of ovaries into autologous or allogeneic animals, and acquisition of pups from oocytes obtained by transplanting mouse ovaries into immunodeficient rats. Here we report successful production of rat oocytes by transplanting rat ovaries under the kidney capsule of immunodeficient mice with addition of hormone administration to the mice. In addition, these oocytes were developed by in vitro fertilization, and transplanted into the oviducts of pseudopregnant rats, resulting in successful delivery of pups. The modified gene of the donor rat was confirmed to be correctly inherited to the pups. These results show that xenotransplantation of ovarian tissue makes it possible to leave offspring, beginning a new phase in developmental engineering.