Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34104939›Full record

ArticleBiology of reproduction2021

Self-renewal and differentiation of rat epididymal basal cells using a novel in vitro organoid model†.

Laurie Pinel, Daniel G Cyr

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biology of reproduction, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

14 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. In vitro models of the male reproductive system: applications for developmental and reproductive toxicology.Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology · 2025
    Review
  3. Bovine Sperm Maturation.Advances in anatomy, embryology, and cell biology · 2025
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Epithelial and mesenchymal fate decisions in Wolffian duct development.Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM · 2023
    Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Laurie PinelLaboratory for Reproductive Toxicology, INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, University of Quebec, Laval, QC, Canada.
Daniel G CyrLaboratory for Reproductive Toxicology, INRS-Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, University of Quebec, Laval, QC, Canada.
Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique · CA

Funding

CIHR 84576
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The epididymis is composed of a pseudostratified epithelium that is comprised of various cell types. Studies have shown that rat basal cells share common properties with adult stem cells and begin to differentiate in vitro in response to fibroblast growth factor and 5α-dihydrotestosterone. The characterization of rat basal cells is therefore necessary to fully understand the role of these cells. The objectives of this study were to assess the ability of single basal cells to develop organoids and to assess their ability to self-renew and differentiate in vitro. We isolated basal cells from the rat epididymis and established three-dimensional cell cultures from the basal and nonbasal cell fractions. Organoids were formed by single adult epididymal basal cells. Organoids were dissociated into single basal cells, which were able to reform new organoids, and were maintained over 10 generations. Long-term culture of organoids revealed that these cells could be differentiated into cells expressing the principal cell markers aquaporin 9 and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. Electron microscopy demonstrated that organoids were composed of several polarized cell types displaying microvilli and the ability to form tight junctions. Additionally, organoids could be formed by basal cells from either the proximal or distal region of the epididymis and are able to secrete clusterin, a protein implicated in the maturation of spermatozoa. These data indicate that rat basal cells can be used to derive epididymal organoids and further support that notion that these may represent a stem cell population in the epididymis.

Indexed as

Cell DifferentiationAdult Stem CellsAnimalsEpididymisIn Vitro TechniquesMaleOrganoidsRatsRats, Sprague-Dawley3D cell culturebasal cellsepididymisorganoidsstem cells

Identifiers

PMID34104939
PMCPMC8511666
OpenAlexW3172860414

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.