Cell-Cell Communication in the Testis

Saez, J.M.; Avallet, O.; Lejeune, Hervé; Chatelain, P

doi:10.1159/000182142

Cited by 41 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 77 publications

(94 reference statements)

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“…We have also observed a decreased desmin immunoreaction in the peritubular cells of the ageing testes studied here. However, this only occurs in severely damaged tubules with a very thickened lamina propria, not in the tubules with complete or nearly complete spermatogenesis, and suggests that changes in intermediate filament immunoexpression in peritubular cells are under control of local factors, including those secreted by the Sertoli cells (Spiteri-Grech and Nieschlag 1993) and germ cells (Saez et al 1991;476 Fig. 4a-e Myoid cells of the tunica albuginea.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunocytochemical and quantitative study of the tunica albuginea testis in young and ageing men

Arenas

Bethencourt

Fraile

et al. 1997

Histochemistry and Cell Biology

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A light and electron microscope immunohistochemical study of the tunica albuginea from both young and elderly men was carried out to determine the distribution of the cells that contain actin, vimentin and/or desmin, and to evaluate the possible variations with ageing by means of quantitative studies. Testicular volume and testicular parenchyma volume decreased significantly with age whereas the tunica albuginea volume remained unchanged. These results agree with the scanty quantitative changes observed in the testicular connective tissue with age, and the notion that age-related changes in testicular volume are principally restricted to the seminiferous tubules. Three connective tissue layers could be distinguished in the tunica albuginea in both young and elderly men. The middle and inner layers increased in width with age while the width of the outer layer decreased. The average width of the tunica albuginea increased significantly with ageing. The tunica albuginea of young men and elderly men presented two types of fusiform cells: (1) fibroblast-like cells, which immunoreacted to actin and vimentin, but not to desmin; and (2) myoid cells, which immunoreacted to actin, vimentin and desmin. In both young men and elderly men, the total number of desmin-positive cells (myoid cells) was significantly lower than that of fibroblasts. However, the total number of desmin-positive cells was significantly increased in ageing men. In young testes, desmin-positive cells were more abundant in the outer layer of the tunica albuginea, whereas in elderly men these cells predominated in the middle layer. The increased desmin immunoexpression in the tunica albuginea of ageing men contrasts with the decrease in desmin immunoreaction in other myoid cells of the testis, the peritubular myoid cells, but only in seminiferous tubules that showed severe germ cell depletion. This suggests that changes in intermediate filament immunoexpression in peritubular cells are focalised, and thus, under local control, whereas changes in the tunica albuginea cells are generalised and possibly related to factors also affecting the connective tissue in other organs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunocytochemical and quantitative study of the tunica albuginea testis in young and ageing men

Arenas

Bethencourt

Fraile

et al. 1997

Histochemistry and Cell Biology

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“…×450& / f i g . c : FSH secretion, which is decreased in elderly men [34], and local factors secreted by pachytene spermatocytes, spermatids, and late spermatid residual bodies, causing functional changes in Sertoli cells [13,28].…”

Section: Seminiferousmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intermediate filaments in the Sertoli cells of the ageing human testis

et al. 1997

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The presence and distribution of intermediate filaments (vimentin, keratin, desmin) was studied in the Sertoli cells of elderly men by means of quantitative immunohistochemical methods. Sertoli cells from young men showed moderate immunogold labelling to vimentin throughout the entire cytoplasm between the cell organelles in tubules showing complete spermatogenesis. Immunogold particles were more numerous in the perinuclear cytoplasm and beneath the plasma membrane in all its faces. The testes from elderly men showed different tubule types; some showed complete spermatogenesis and a normal lamina propria, while others had spermatogenic arrest at different levels (spermatids, spermatocytes, spermatogonia). The immunohistochemical reaction to vimentin in the Sertoli cells of tubules with complete spermatogenesis (type a) was similar to that in the cells of young men. In the Sertoli cells of severely damaged tubules (type b) the immunohistochemical reaction was more intense and immunogold particles extended in similar proportions throughout the whole cytoplasm. When immunolabelling intensity was compared between the three groups of tubules, by counting the number of immunogold particles per square micrometre of cytoplasm, it was found to be significantly higher (P < or = 0.05) in type b tubules of elderly men than either in tubules of young men or in type a tubules of elderly men. Since the average cell surface of Sertoli cells was similar in all tubule types, these data suggest that an actual vimentin increase occurs in Sertoli cells of germ-cell-depleted tubules. Sertoli cell immunogold labelling to keratin was found neither in young men nor in type a tubules of ageing men, whereas a positive immunohistochemical reaction was observed in the Sertoli cells of type b tubules of elderly men. Immunogold particles were localized mainly in the perinuclear cytoplasm, and beneath the lateral and basal cell surfaces. The observation of vimentin increase and keratin re-expression in ageing Sertoli cells only in germ-cell-depleted tubules suggests that the changes in intermediate filaments are related to the local factors associated with completion of spermatogenesis, causing functional changes in Sertoli cells.

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“…FSH unique target cells in male are Sertoli cells, which coordinate the waves of spermatogenesis by providing germ cells with essential paracrine factors such as TGFb, IGF-1 or EGF (Saez et al, 1991;Spiteri-Grech and Nieschlag, 1993). FSH stimulates Sertoli cell proliferation during fetal and peri-natal life, until cells establish tight junctions to organize as a blood-testis barrier, which is completed at 19 days in rat (Orth, 1984).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ERK-dependent signalling is stage-specifically modulated by FSH, during primary Sertoli cell maturation

et al. 2001

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Primary cultures of Sertoli cells provide an interesting model to study how signalling pathways induced by a single hormone in a single cell type evolve, depending on the developmental stage. In vivo, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) induces proliferation of Sertoli cells in neonate and controls the subsequent di erentiation of the entire population. Molecular mechanisms underlying Sertoli cell pleiotropic responses to FSH have long been investigated. But to date, only cAMP-dependent kinase (PKA) activation has been reported to account for most FSH biological activities in male. Here, we demonstrate that FSH activates the ERK MAP kinase pathway following dual coupling of the FSH-R both to Gs and to Gi heterotrimeric proteins, in a PKA-and also Srcdependent manner. This activation is required for FSHinduced proliferation of Sertoli cells isolated 5 days after birth. Consistently, we show that the ERK-mediated FSH mitogenic e ect triggers upregulation of cyclin D1. In sharp contrast, at 19 days after birth, as cells proceed through their di erentiation program, the ERK pathway is dramatically inhibited by FSH treatment. Taken together, these results show that FSH can exert opposite e ects on the ERK signalling cascade during the maturation process of Sertoli cells. Thus, signalling modules triggered by the FSH-R evolve dynamically throughout development of FSH natural target cells. Oncogene (2001) 20, 4696 ± 4709.

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Cell-Cell Communication in the Testis

Cited by 41 publications

References 77 publications

Immunocytochemical and quantitative study of the tunica albuginea testis in young and ageing men

Immunocytochemical and quantitative study of the tunica albuginea testis in young and ageing men

Intermediate filaments in the Sertoli cells of the ageing human testis

The ERK-dependent signalling is stage-specifically modulated by FSH, during primary Sertoli cell maturation

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