background: the sertoli cells in the testis create unique and safe environment to protect seminiferous tubules from auto antigens and invading pathogens. these cells produce the survival factor of the blood-testis barrier and produce special materials such as androgen binding proteins and contribute to the coordinated action of spermatogenesis. given that the sertoli cells play an essential rol...

Glial cell-line-derived neurotropic factor (GDNF) and its receptors glial cell-line-derived neurotropic factor alpha (GFR1alpha) and rearranged during transformation (RET) have been localized in the rat testis during postnatal development. The three mRNAs, and GDNF and GFR1alpha proteins were detected in testis extracts from 1- to 90-day-old rats by reverse transcriptase PCR and Western blottin...

This work aimed to clarify the expression and roles of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and its type 2 receptor (AMHR2) in seminiferous tubules of maturing rat testes. By quantitative RT-PCR, we determined the relative expressions of Amh, Amhr2, Scp1, Rsbn1, Ngfr, and Rhox5 in rat testes aged 5-49 days (d), and in germ cells and Sertoli cells isolated from 21d testes. Smad 1,5 and 8 expressions wer...

FSH and IGF-I are both important determinants of testicular development and Sertoli cell function. The present studies were performed to determine the actions of FSH and IGF-I on PI3K/AKT protein kinase signaling in immature rat Sertoli cells. Primary cultures of rat Sertoli cells were prepared from 10-d-old rats. After 7 d in culture, Sertoli cells were treated with IGF-I, FSH, or IGF-I plus F...

Immunocytochemical data demonstrate that the distribution of gap junction connexin43 (Cx43) in rodent testes is dependent on cell type, testis maturation, and stage of the mature seminiferous epithelium. Western blotting and indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using anti-peptide antisera to Cx43 revealed abundant Cx43 in rat and mouse testes and mouse TM3 and TM4 cells. Cx43 mRNA was detecte...

FSH binding to Sertoli cells is required for optimal production of sperm in mammals. The cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is a major mediator of FSH-induced changes in gene expression. To determine whether CREB is required for spermatogenesis, an adenovirus encoding a phosphorylation-defective CREB mutant (AdCREBm1) was used to inhibit CREB activity in Sertoli cells. Addition of AdC...

Using multiple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) steps and high-performance electrophoresis chromatography (HPEC) in conjunction with an [125I]collagen film assay to identify inhibitors of metalloproteases, we have purified a 22-kDa polypeptide to apparent homogeneity from primary Sertoli cell-enriched culture medium. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis revealed that thi...

The FSH molecular mechanism of action is best recognized for its stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase/cAMP pathway via activation of a G protein. Recently, links between cAMP, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase B (PKB) signaling pathways in thyroid and granulosa cells have been observed. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of the PI3K/PKB pathway in FS...

Rat and human Sertoli cells in culture secrete a growth factor, Sertoli cell secreted growth factor (SCSGF). The aims of the present study were (1) to evaluate other testicular cell types as additional sources of SCSGF, as well as their paracrine effect, and (2) to study the hormonal regulation of SCSGF secretion using an A431 cell growth assay. The Sertoli cell was the only testicular cell typ...

We examined the effects of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the expression and kinase activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in Leydig TM3 and Sertoli TM4 cell lines. Hormonal regulation of the expression and activity of Cdk5 by using normal and hypophysectomized rat testes was also investigated to elucidate its role. Cdk5 ...