Work

Production of functional sperm from the red seabream (Pagrus major) ovotestis on a xenogeneic zebrafish Sertoli cell line in culture

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In vitro culture of germ cells has the potential to accelerate gametogenesis because it is independent of the body's endocrine control. However, the need to determine culture conditions for each species has limited the application of this method for many species. Here, we report the establishment of a culture system for germ cells from the ovotestes of red seabream to differentiate into functional sperm, as well as the use of a zebrafish Sertoli cell line as feeder cells for seabream germ cells. We first determined the culture conditions for red seabream germ cells based on a zebrafish spermatogonia culture system. Spermatogenesis was successfully induced by replacing cyprinid-derived body fluid components with red seabream serum and by using seabream collagen-coated dishes. Functional sperm were obtained from spermatogonia-enriched ovotestis dissociates after 28 days of culture. Furthermore, when red seabream germ cells were cultured on the zebrafish Sertoli cell line, they adhered to the feeder cells and differentiated into functional sperm. Given the phylogenetic distance between seabream and zebrafish, these results suggest that germ cell culture may be widely applied to teleost fish through modification of body fluid factors and the use of xenogeneic zebrafish Sertoli cells as feeder cells.

Source: Proceedings of the Japan Academy Series B

DOI: 10.2183/pjab.102.025

Authors: Noriyoshi SAKAI, Youhei WASHIO, Keitaro KATO, Masato KINOSHITA

Institutions: National Institute of Genetics, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Kyoto University, Aquaculture Research Institute, Kindai University

Language: English

Topic: Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life below water

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Bio-oriented Technology Research Advancement Institution