Autoimmune damage to spermatogenesis in rodents immunized with mouse F9 embryonic carcinoma cells.

Significant inhibition of spermatogenesis and appearance of antibodies against spermatogenic cells identified by cytotoxicity and immunofluorescence reactions were observed in mice of inbred strains 129/Sv and BALB/c and in albino guinea pigs after syngeneic, allogeneic, and xenogeneic immunization with mouse F9 embryonic carcinoma cells and Freund's complete adjuvant. A similar syngeneic immunization with PYS-2 cells was ineffective. Appropriate absorption experiments confirmed the similarity between the antigens of F9 and spermatogenic cells and the absence of such a similarity with antigens of PYS-2 cells. These results support the hypothesis that the oncofetal F9 antigens represent spermatogenic differentiation antigens and thus play an essential role in spermatogenic cell differentiation.