A novel pipeline for computerized mouse spermatogenesis staging

Haoda Lu, Min Zang, Gabriel Pik Liang Marini, Xiangxue Wang, Yiping Jiao, Nianfei Ao, Kok Haur Ong, Xinmi Huo, Longjie Li, Eugene Yujun Xu, Wilson Wen Bin Goh, Weimiao Yu, Jun Xu

Abstract: Differentiating 12 stages of the mouse seminiferous epithelial cycle is vital towards understanding the dynamic spermatogenesis process. However, it is challenging since two adjacent spermatogenic stages are morphologically similar. Distinguishing Stages I–III from Stages IV–V is important for histologists to understand sperm development in wildtype mice and spermatogenic defects in infertile mice. To achieve this, we propose a novel pipeline for computerized spermatogenesis staging (CSS).