Biomaterial Database

Freeze-fracture observations on the intercellular junctions of Sertoli cells and of Leydig cells in the human testis. 1976

T Nagano, and F Suzuki

Normal and feminized human testes were examined by means of freeze-fracture. In both cases, the junctional complexes between adjacent Sertoli cells show a unique characteristic feature. Many parallel linear occluding junctions are located circumferentially around the cell surface at the level of the nucleus. They are more than forty in number over one Sertoli cell surface. In the A face, the particles are not prominent on the ridge of the junctions. Instead, they are clearly seen in the center of the groove of the junctions on the B face. Gap junctions consisting of particle aggregation are not found between the Sertoli cells. The gap junctions between the Leydig cells are frequently observed in both normal and feminized testes. They are round or elliptic in contour and about several micrometers in diameter. The particles, about 8 nm in diameter, are closely packed to form a quasi-hexagonal pattern. The pits are found on the B face corresponding to the particle aggregation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007365	Intercellular Junctions	Direct contact of a cell with a neighboring cell. Most such junctions are too small to be resolved by light microscopy, but they can be visualized by conventional or freeze-fracture electron microscopy, both of which show that the interacting CELL MEMBRANE and often the underlying CYTOPLASM and the intervening EXTRACELLULAR SPACE are highly specialized in these regions. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p792)	Cell Junctions,Cell Junction,Intercellular Junction,Junction, Cell,Junction, Intercellular,Junctions, Cell,Junctions, Intercellular
D007985	Leydig Cells	Steroid-producing cells in the interstitial tissue of the TESTIS. They are under the regulation of PITUITARY HORMONES; LUTEINIZING HORMONE; or interstitial cell-stimulating hormone. TESTOSTERONE is the major androgen (ANDROGENS) produced.	Interstitial Cells, Testicular,Leydig Cell,Testicular Interstitial Cell,Testicular Interstitial Cells,Cell, Leydig,Cell, Testicular Interstitial,Cells, Leydig,Cells, Testicular Interstitial,Interstitial Cell, Testicular
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D005614	Freeze Fracturing	Preparation for electron microscopy of minute replicas of exposed surfaces of the cell which have been ruptured in the frozen state. The specimen is frozen, then cleaved under high vacuum at the same temperature. The exposed surface is shadowed with carbon and platinum and coated with carbon to obtain a carbon replica.	Fracturing, Freeze,Fracturings, Freeze,Freeze Fracturings
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D012708	Sertoli Cells	Supporting cells projecting inward from the basement membrane of SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES. They surround and nourish the developing male germ cells and secrete the ANDROGEN-BINDING PROTEIN and hormones such as ANTI-MULLERIAN HORMONE. The tight junctions of Sertoli cells with the SPERMATOGONIA and SPERMATOCYTES provide a BLOOD-TESTIS BARRIER.	Sertoli Cell,Cell, Sertoli,Cells, Sertoli
D013734	Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome	A disorder of sexual development transmitted as an X-linked recessive trait. These patients have a karyotype of 46,XY with end-organ resistance to androgen due to mutations in the androgen receptor (RECEPTORS, ANDROGEN) gene. Severity of the defect in receptor quantity or quality correlates with their phenotypes. In these genetic males, the phenotypic spectrum ranges from those with normal female external genitalia, through those with genital ambiguity as in Reifenstein Syndrome, to that of a normal male with INFERTILITY.	Testicular Feminization,AR Deficiency,Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome,Androgen Insensitivity, Partial,Androgen Receptor Deficiency,Androgen Resistance Syndrome,Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome, Complete,Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome, Partial,DHTR Deficiency,Dihydrotestosterone Receptor Deficiency,Male Pseudohermaphroditism Due to Androgen Insensitivity,Reifenstein Syndrome,Reifenstein's Syndrome,Testicular Feminization Syndrome,AR Deficiencies,Androgen Insensitivities, Partial,Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, Complete,Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, Partial,Androgen Insensitivity Syndromes,Androgen Receptor Deficiencies,Androgen Resistance Syndromes,Androgen-Insensitivity Syndromes,Androgen-Insensitivity Syndromes, Complete,Androgen-Insensitivity Syndromes, Partial,Complete Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome,Complete Androgen-Insensitivity Syndromes,DHTR Deficiencies,Deficiencies, AR,Deficiencies, Androgen Receptor,Deficiencies, DHTR,Deficiencies, Dihydrotestosterone Receptor,Deficiency, AR,Deficiency, Androgen Receptor,Deficiency, DHTR,Deficiency, Dihydrotestosterone Receptor,Dihydrotestosterone Receptor Deficiencies,Feminization Syndrome, Testicular,Feminization Syndromes, Testicular,Feminization, Testicular,Feminizations, Testicular,Insensitivities, Partial Androgen,Insensitivity Syndrome, Androgen,Insensitivity Syndromes, Androgen,Insensitivity, Partial Androgen,Partial Androgen Insensitivities,Partial Androgen Insensitivity,Partial Androgen-Insensitivity Syndrome,Partial Androgen-Insensitivity Syndromes,Receptor Deficiencies, Androgen,Receptor Deficiencies, Dihydrotestosterone,Receptor Deficiency, Androgen,Receptor Deficiency, Dihydrotestosterone,Reifensteins Syndrome,Resistance Syndrome, Androgen,Resistance Syndromes, Androgen,Testicular Feminization Syndromes,Testicular Feminizations