Immunomodulatory potential of Sertoli cell progenitors in Xenopus tadpoles during the healing of amputated tail

A cell culture of common Sertoli and peritubular myoid cells progenitors derived from the testes of male X. tropicalis, called XtiSC, was established in the Laboratory of Developmental Biology. XtiSCs exhibit similar properties as more well-known mesenchymal stem cells that are used in cell therapy for their immunomodulatory and proregenerative properties. Microinjection of XtiSC into the dorsal vein of the tail of the tadpoles has increased macrophage numbers 7 days after tail amputation (dpa), both in controls and in tadpoles after depletion of macrophages by the application of clodrosomes. Macrophage depletion also reduces the migratory ability of XtiSC to the site of tail amputation. Macrophage depletion also led to a reduction in the number of satellite cells 1 dpa. On the seventh day after tail amputation and XtiSC injection, there was a significant increase in their number compared to the control group without XtiSC injection. Using DAF-2DA probe, nitric oxide production was confirmed by injected XtiSC and at the injury site. For future research of the proliferation, differentiation and migration of satellite cells in vivo, a vector expressing EGFP under endogenous Pax7 promoter and Katushka-RFP under gama-crystalline promoter was created and integrated into the X. tropicalis genome using...