What Does Androgen Receptor Signaling Pathway in Sertoli Cells During Normal Spermatogenesis Tell Us?

Abstract

Androgen receptor signaling pathway is necessary to complete spermatogenesis in testes. Difference between androgen binding location in Sertoli cell classifies androgen receptor signaling pathway into classical signaling pathway and non-classical signaling pathway. As the only somatic cell type in seminiferous tubule, Sertoli cells are under androgen receptor signaling pathway regulation via androgen receptor located in cytoplasm and plasma membrane. Androgen receptor signaling pathway is able to regulate biological processes in Sertoli cells as well as germ cells surrounded between Sertoli cells. Our review will summarize the major discoveries of androgen receptor signaling pathway in Sertoli cells and the paracrine action on germ cells. Androgen receptor signaling pathway regulates Sertoli cell proliferation and maturation, as well as maintain the integrity of blood-testis barrier formed between Sertoli cells. Also, Spermatogonia stem cells achieve a balance between self-renewal and differentiation under androgen receptor signaling regulation. Meiotic and post-meiotic processes including Sertoli cell - Spermatid attachment and Spermatid development are guaranteed by androgen receptor signaling until the final sperm release. This review also includes one disease related to androgen receptor signaling dysfunction named as androgen insensitivity syndrome. As a step further ahead, this review may be conducive to develop therapies which can cure impaired androgen receptor signaling in Sertoli cells.

Effects of naringin on oxidative stress, inflammation, some reproductive parameters, and apoptosis in acrylamide‐induced testis toxicity in rat

“…30 As a result of studies from various animal models, it has been determined that the LH-testosterone signaling pathway has a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis. 31 Again, LH/testosterone and FSH are very important for testicular function and spermatogenesis. 32 It has been determined that some chemicals affect these hormones, which are so important for testicular functions.…”

“…The critical hormone that maintains spermatogenesis in the testis is testosterone 30 . As a result of studies from various animal models, it has been determined that the LH‐testosterone signaling pathway has a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis 31 . Again, LH/testosterone and FSH are very important for testicular function and spermatogenesis 32 .…”

Transcriptome sequencing reveals differences between leydig cells and sertoli cells of yak

“…And mature SCs no longer have the ability to proliferate in vivo . Importantly, adult mouse and human Sertoli cells can resume proliferation in vitro , suggesting that they could be proliferating cells at rest rather than terminally differentiating cells ( 35 , 36 ). Our study also demonstrated that Sertoli cells from sexually mature yaks restored their proliferative capacity in vitro .…”

X-chromosome loss rescues Sertoli cell maturation and spermatogenesis in Klinefelter syndrome

“…To investigate if Sertoli cells in type A tubules are mature as their nuclei morphology and localization along the basement membrane in the tubules suggest, we stained with antibodies against three Sertoli cell maturity markers, the androgen receptor (AR) (Sharpe et al, 2003;Wang et al, 2022), Clusterin (CLU, also known as SGP-2), which is secreted from mature Sertoli cells (Sharpe et al, 2003;Sylvester et al, 1984), and defensin beta 119 (DEFB119), a newly identified marker (Mahyari et al, 2023;Zhao et al, 2020). All three markers were highly expressed in type A Sertoli cells which was in contrast to type B Sertoli cells showing low expression levels (Fig.…”