Effects of steel mutation on spermatogenesis stimulated by fetuin.

The effect of the steel mutation on spermatogenesis was investigated using organ culture. Cultured cryptorchid testes from WB-+/+ mice showed an effective differentiation of type A spermatogonia in response to Pedersen type III fetuin. In contrast, the cryptorchid testes from WB-S1/+ showed neither differentiation nor division of type A spermatogonia. The findings reported here are the first demonstration of retarded response of steel mutation on a well-known agent, fetuin.