Cryopreservation of testicular tissue.

Cryopreservation of testicular tissue might benefit prepubertal boys who have to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Cryopreservation of testicular tissue is feasible. Live offspring have been born to mice, but not other species after transplantation of testicular cells. Spermatogenesis in vitro would be an excellent option for boys with leukaemia, but the method is not feasible for the time being. Cryopreservation of biopsied testicular tissue for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a feasible option for infertility treatment of azoospermic men. Testicular sperm can be frozen as cell suspension, or within a piece of testicular tissue. Both methods result in pregnancies. Testicular needle biopsy is a simple method to obtain tissue for histological diagnosis, for ICSI and for cryopreservation for use in the future. Testicular sperm should be cryopreserved whenever a testicular biopsy is carried out.