Accurate Quantitative Histomorphometric-Mathematical Image Analysis Methodology of Rodent Testicular Tissue and Its Possible Future Research Perspectives in Andrology and Reproductive Medicine

Abstract

Infertility is increasing worldwide; male factors can be identified in nearly half of all infertile couples. Histopathologic evaluation of testicular tissue can provide valuable information about infertility; however, several different evaluation methods and semi-quantitative score systems exist. Our goal was to describe a new, accurate and easy-to-use quantitative computer-based histomorphometric-mathematical image analysis methodology for the analysis of testicular tissue. On digitized, original hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained slides (scanned by slide-scanner), quantitatively describable characteristics such as area, perimeter and diameter of testis cross-sections and of individual tubules were measured with the help of continuous magnification. Immunohistochemically (IHC)-stained slides were digitized with a microscope-coupled camera, and IHC-staining intensity measurements on digitized images were also taken. Suggested methods are presented with mathematical equations, step-by-step detailed characterization and representative images are given. Our novel quantitative histomorphometric-mathematical image analysis method can improve the reproducibility, objectivity, quality and comparability of andrological-reproductive medicine research by recognizing even the mild impairments of the testicular structure expressed numerically, which might not be detected with the present semi-quantitative score systems. The technique is apt to be subjected to further automation with machine learning and artificial intelligence and can be named ‘Computer-Assisted or -Aided Testis Histology’ (CATHI).

SATINN: an automated neural network-based classification of testicular sections allows for high-throughput histopathology of mouse mutants

“…A single cross-section of a mouse testis contains ∼120 tubules that house tens of thousands of germ cells discriminated by histological markers into 20 cell types ( Chiarini-Garcia and Meistrich, 2008 ; Drumond et al , 2011 ) and 12 tubule stages ( Ahmed and de Rooij, 2009 ; Oakberg, 1956 ; Russell et al , 1990 ) that serve as landmarks in the cycle of spermatogenesis [reviewed in Lara et al (2018) ]. While the quality and quantity of testis histology has greatly improved over the last decade, computational tools capable of handling and analyzing such data are just emerging ( Bell et al , 2020 ; Dumont et al , 2021 ; Liang et al , 2022 ; Sziva et al , 2022 ; Xu et al , 2021 ).…”

Zika Virus Infection Damages the Testes in Pubertal Common Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri collinsi)

“…Ten tubules from each testicle were randomly selected for histomorphometric measurements. The tubular area (µm 2 ), seminiferous epithelium area (µm 2 ), epithelium height/thickness (µm), and larger and smaller diameter (µm) were measured [ 48 ]. Sertoli, Leydig, and spermatogenic lineage cells (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids, and spermatozoa) were identified and quantified.…”

CSNK1G2-AS1 promotes metastasis, colony formation and serves as a biomarker in testicular germ cell tumor cells

“…CSNK1G2-AS1 is the antisense RNA of CSNK1G2 , located on the complementary sequence of intron 1 of CSNK1G2 . CSNK1G2 is a major negative regulator of necroptosis, and the CSNK1G2 knockout mice showed premature aging of their testis 24 . In our present study, we analyzed the expression of CSNK1G2-AS1 in TGCTs and its relationship with the prognosis of TGCT patients using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database 25 ( http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/ ) and University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Xena database, respectively.…”