PMID: 11315945Apr 24, 2001Paper

Paracrine interaction in testicular somatic cells

Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology = Archivio Italiano Di Anatomia Ed Embriologia
L KonradG Aumüller

Abstract

Initiation of spermatogenesis is regulated by signals derived from intratubular Sertoli cells as well as extratubular Leydig cells, both being systemic targets of hypophyseal gonadotropins. In addition to Leydig and Sertoli cells, a number of other cell types are present in the testis viz. peritubular cells, macrophages and vascular components. The specific paracrine functions of these cells are only partially understood. The peritubular and Sertoli cells form the structural scaffold of the germinal epithelium and are responsible for intratubular pressure, release and transport of spermatozoa and the formation of the blood-testis barrier. We have performed ex vivo and in vitro studies on the ultrastructure of peritubular and Sertoli cells and the distribution of steroid hormone receptors, cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix proteins using rat testes from different stages of postnatal development. Morphological observations were related to in vitro findings of gene expression on the respective hormones and structural proteins. In the developing rat testis, the peritubular cells showed a strong and consistent expression of fibronectin, entactin, laminin as well as the glucocorticoid, androgen, estrogen and partially also the pr...Continue Reading

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