Angiogenesis and vascular network of teratocarcinoma from embryonic stem cell transplant into seminiferous tubules

Background: Carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the testis is considered to be a precancerous germinal cell lesion, but the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying transformation of CIS into invasive pluripotent cancer cells remain to be elucidated. Moreover, a satisfactory animal model for the experimental study of germinal tumours has not been developed to date. METHODS: We have developed a tumour model that involves the microinjection of green fluorescent protein-labelled embryonic stem (ES) cells (which are functionally equivalent to CIS cells) into syngenic mouse seminiferous tubules, a unique cell microenvironment in which germinal cells mature and CIS arise. To characterise the v…