Step-specific Sorting of Mouse Spermatids by Flow Cytometry

Summary

We describe a sorting strategy for mouse spermatids using flow cytometry. Spermatids are sorted into four highly pure populations, including round (spermiogenesis steps 1-9), early elongating (spermiogenesis steps 10-12), late elongating (spermiogenesis steps 13-14) and elongated spermatids (spermiogenesis steps 15-16). DNA staining, size and granulosity are used as selection parameters.

Abstract

The differentiation of mouse spermatids is one critical process for the production of a functional male gamete with an intact genome to be transmitted to the next generation. So far, molecular studies of this morphological transition have been hampered by the lack of a method allowing adequate separation of these important steps of spermatid differentiation for subsequent analyses. Earlier attempts at proper gating of these cells using flow cytometry may have been difficult because of a peculiar increase in DNA fluorescence in spermatids undergoing chromatin remodeling. Based on this observation, we provide details of a simple flow cytometry scheme, allowing reproducible purification of four populations of mouse spermatids fixed with ethanol, each representing a different state in the nuclear remodeling process. Population enrichment is confirmed using step-specific markers and morphological criterions. The purified spermatids can be used for genomic and proteomic analyses.

Introduction

Haploid round spermatids differentiate into spermatozoa by a process called spermiogenesis. This involves many different steps including the acquisition of a flagellum, chromatin and cytoskeleton remodeling, condensation of the nucleus as well as the loss of most of the cytoplasm. These unique cellular events must be finely regulated in order to produce a mature functional gamete with an intact genome suitable for fertilization. Spermiogenesis can hardly be studied in vitro since no reliable cell culture system has so far been able to support progression through the different steps of the process. Moreover, actual in vitro techniques lead to a poor y....

Protocol

Animal care was in accordance with the Université de Sherbrooke animal care and use committee.

1. Tube Preparation

1. The day before cell sorting, add 1-2 ml of heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS) to 5 ml polypropylene round bottom tubes, and to 15 ml and 50 ml polypropylene conical tubes.
   Critical step: Ensure that every tube used in the protocol is coated.
   Note: FBS coating prevents germ cells from sticking to tube walls.
2. Slowly mix O/N by inversion at 4 °C to coat the tubes uniformly using a rotator.
3. The next day, remove FBS from coated tubes by decanting.

Results

Gating strategy used with flow cytometry

Figure 1 represents the gating strategy used in flow cytometry to sort four highly pure spermatid populations. Briefly, cells with positive DNA staining (Alexa Fluor 488-A) are first selected with Gate 1. Spermatids from spermiogenesis steps 1-12 are selected (Gate 2) on a dot plot showing the granulosity (SSC-A) vs size (FSC-A) from Gate 1. Then, spermatids from spermiog.......

Discussion

Spermatogenic cells have always been challenging to study given the complexity of the seminiferous epithelium, as well as the limited success of in vitro culture. Over the years, many approaches to purify germ cells from various species were developed. Sedimentation techniques using gravity purification with Percoll or bovine serum albumin gradients usually provide a good yield of intact germinal cells, but lack proper definition between some cell types such as meiotic tetraploid cells and spermatids¹⁰

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Isoflurane	ABBOT	05260-05	For mouse anesthesia before euthanasia
Fetal bovine serum	Wisent	90150	For tube coating
1x PBS
EDTA	BioShop	EDT	For sorting buffer preparation
HEPES	Sigma	H	For sorting buffer preparation
100% Ethanol	Les alcools de commerce	092-09-11N	For cell fixation
SYTO 16	Life Technologies	S7578	DNA staining
5 ml polypropylene round bottom tubes	BD Falcon	352063	Sorted cells collection
15 ml polypropylene conical bottom tubes	PROgene	1500
50 ml polypropylene conical bottom tubes	PROgene	5000
TEC4 anaesthetic vaporizer	Ohmeda	1160526	For mouse euthanasia
CO2 gas tank	Praxair	C799117902	For mouse euthanasia
O2 gas tank	Praxair	O254130501	For mouse euthanasia
Homemade mouse gas chamber			For mouse euthanasia
40 µm Falcon cell strainer	Corning Incorporated	352340
50 μm sample line filters	BD Biosciences	649049
Vortex mixer	Labnet international, inc.	S0200	For cell fixation
Dynac centrifuge	Clay Adams	101
Celltrics 50 µm filters	Partec	04-004-2327
488 nm laser-euipped cell sorter	BD Biosciences	FACSAria III
Accudop Fluorescent Beads	BD Biosciences	345249
Sorting Buffer: 1x PBS, 1 mM EDTA pH 8.0, 25 mM HEPES pH 7.0, 1% FBS			FBS is heat-inactivated. Make fresh solution, 0.22 μm filtered and keep at 4°C.