A comparative study of human ovarian tissue xenotransplantation in two different strains of rats

Abstract

This study aims to conduct a comparative study of two strains of laboratory rats, hooded and Wistar, to select a suitable alternative to nude rats for ovarian tissue xenotransplantation. The study investigated the effects of ovarian tissue transplantation using three experimental groups: (1) the control group receiving vitrified-warmed human ovarian tissue, (2) the OTW (ovarian tissue transplantation in Wistar) group with human ovarian tissues in Wistar rats, and (3) the OTH (ovarian tissue transplantation in hooded) group with ovarian tissues transplanted into hooded rats. A total of 12 rats (6 each from the two transplantation groups) were used, with tissue samples implanted in the dorsal neck muscles. Outcomes were evaluated using histological analyses, including hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining, as well as immunohistochemical assessments of CD31 for angiogenesis, fibrosis, and necrosis. The OTH group exhibited more blood vessel numbers and the Vegf gene expression than both the OTW and control groups, with significantly lower levels of fibrosis and necrosis compared to the OTW and control groups. The study indicates that hooded rats could serve as a valuable alternative for specific research when nude mice are not available. Their immune systems are more compatible with human ovarian tissue transplants than Wistar rats, and they exhibit calmer behaviors, making them better suited for laboratory work.

Keywords

angiogenesis / hooded rat / human ovarian tissue / Wistar rat / xenotransplantation

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2025 The Author(s). Animal Models and Experimental Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Chinese Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences.