1. Temporal maturation of Sertoli cells during the establishment of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium†
- Author
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Havel, Shelby L and Griswold, Michael D
- Abstract
Sertoli cells, omnipresent, somatic cells within the seminiferous tubules of the mammalian testis are essential to male fertility. Sertoli cells maintain the integrity of the testicular microenvironment, regulate hormone synthesis, and of particular importance, synthesize the active derivative of vitamin A, all transretinoic acid (atRA), which is required for germ cell differentiation and the commitment of male germ cells to meiosis. Stages VIII–IX, when atRA synthesis occurs in the testis, coincide with multiple germ cell development and testicular restructuring events that rely on Sertoli cell gene products to proceed normally. In this study, we have synchronized and captured the mouse testis at four recurrent points of atRA synthesis to observe transcriptomic changes within Sertoli cells as mice age and the Sertoli cells are exposed to increasingly developed germ cell subtypes. This work provides comprehensive, high-resolution characterization of the timing of induction of functional Sertoli cell genes across the first wave of spermatogenesis, and outlines in silico predictions of germ cell derived signaling mechanisms targeting Sertoli cells. We have found that Sertoli cells adapt to their environment, especially to the needs of the germ cell populations present and establish germ-Sertoli cell and Sertoli-Sertoli cell junctions early but gain many of their known immune-regulatory and protein secretory functions in preparation for spermiogenesis and spermiation. Additionally, we have found unique patterns of germ-Sertoli signaling present at each endogenous pulse of atRA, suggesting individual functions of the various germ cells in germ-Sertoli communication.Stages VIII–IX of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium are of critical importance to the successful continuation of sperm production, and this work characterizes (i) the induction of known functional Sertoli cell genes at each successive occurrence of stages VIII–IX, and (ii) the predicted cell signaling pathways that target Sertoli cells and originate from various germ cell subtypes produced across the first round of spermatogenesis.Graphical AbstractCreated with Biorender.com
- Published
- 2024
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