Origin of Testicular Teratomas From Primordial Germ Cells in Mice<xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2">2</xref>

Abstract

Teratomas were experimentally induced in testes of strain 129 mice when 12½-day genital ridges from fetuses were grafted into the testes of adults. Seventy-five percent of 194 testes developing from implanted <it>SI</it><it>J</it>/+, <it>SI</it><it>d</it>/+, and +/+ genital ridges contained teratomas. These gonads had normal numbers of primordial germ cells. In contrast, only 3% of 75 <it>SI</it><it>J</it>/<it>SI</it><it>J</it> and <it>SI</it><it>d</it>/<it>SI</it><it>d</it> testes contained teratomas. These gonads had very few primordial germ cells. This finding supports strongly the hypothesis that testicular teratomas in mice are derived from primordial germ cells.