Sertoli-Sertoli and Sertoli-germ cell interactions and their significance in germ cell movement in the seminiferous epithelium during spermatogenesis. 2004

Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
Population Council, Center for Biomedical Research, New York, New York 10021, USA. D-Mruk@popcbr.rockefeller.edu.

Spermatogenesis is the process by which a single spermatogonium develops into 256 spermatozoa, one of which will fertilize the ovum. Since the 1950s when the stages of the epithelial cycle were first described, reproductive biologists have been in pursuit of one question: How can a spermatogonium traverse the epithelium, while at the same time differentiating into elongate spermatids that remain attached to the Sertoli cell throughout their development? Although it was generally agreed upon that junction restructuring was involved, at that time the types of junctions present in the testis were not even discerned. Today, it is known that tight, anchoring, and gap junctions are found in the testis. The testis also has two unique anchoring junction types, the ectoplasmic specialization and tubulobulbar complex. However, attention has recently shifted on identifying the regulatory molecules that "open" and "close" junctions, because this information will be useful in elucidating the mechanism of germ cell movement. For instance, cytokines have been shown to induce Sertoli cell tight junction disassembly by shutting down the production of tight junction proteins. Other factors such as proteases, protease inhibitors, GTPases, kinases, and phosphatases also come into play. In this review, we focus on this cellular phenomenon, recapping recent developments in the field.

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
D008297 Male Males
D009712 Nucleotides, Cyclic Cyclic Nucleotide,Cyclic Nucleotides,Nucleotide, Cyclic
D010447 Peptide Hydrolases Hydrolases that specifically cleave the peptide bonds found in PROTEINS and PEPTIDES. Examples of sub-subclasses for this group include EXOPEPTIDASES and ENDOPEPTIDASES. Peptidase,Peptidases,Peptide Hydrolase,Protease,Proteases,Proteinase,Proteinases,Proteolytic Enzyme,Proteolytic Enzymes,Esteroproteases,Enzyme, Proteolytic,Hydrolase, Peptide
D010749 Phosphoprotein Phosphatases A group of enzymes removing the SERINE- or THREONINE-bound phosphate groups from a wide range of phosphoproteins, including a number of enzymes which have been phosphorylated under the action of a kinase. (Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) Phosphoprotein Phosphatase,Phosphoprotein Phosphohydrolase,Protein Phosphatase,Protein Phosphatases,Casein Phosphatase,Ecto-Phosphoprotein Phosphatase,Nuclear Protein Phosphatase,Phosphohistone Phosphatase,Phosphoprotein Phosphatase-2C,Phosphoseryl-Protein Phosphatase,Protein Phosphatase C,Protein Phosphatase C-I,Protein Phosphatase C-II,Protein Phosphatase H-II,Protein-Serine-Threonine Phosphatase,Protein-Threonine Phosphatase,Serine-Threonine Phosphatase,Threonine Phosphatase,Ecto Phosphoprotein Phosphatase,Phosphatase C, Protein,Phosphatase C-I, Protein,Phosphatase C-II, Protein,Phosphatase H-II, Protein,Phosphatase, Casein,Phosphatase, Ecto-Phosphoprotein,Phosphatase, Nuclear Protein,Phosphatase, Phosphohistone,Phosphatase, Phosphoprotein,Phosphatase, Phosphoseryl-Protein,Phosphatase, Protein,Phosphatase, Protein-Serine-Threonine,Phosphatase, Protein-Threonine,Phosphatase, Serine-Threonine,Phosphatase, Threonine,Phosphatase-2C, Phosphoprotein,Phosphatases, Phosphoprotein,Phosphatases, Protein,Phosphohydrolase, Phosphoprotein,Phosphoprotein Phosphatase 2C,Phosphoseryl Protein Phosphatase,Protein Phosphatase C I,Protein Phosphatase C II,Protein Phosphatase H II,Protein Phosphatase, Nuclear,Protein Serine Threonine Phosphatase,Protein Threonine Phosphatase,Serine Threonine Phosphatase
D011494 Protein Kinases A family of enzymes that catalyze the conversion of ATP and a protein to ADP and a phosphoprotein. Protein Kinase,Kinase, Protein,Kinases, Protein
D002118 Calcium A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes. Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D002450 Cell Communication Any of several ways in which living cells of an organism communicate with one another, whether by direct contact between cells or by means of chemical signals carried by neurotransmitter substances, hormones, and cyclic AMP. Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interaction,Cell Communications,Cell Interactions,Cell to Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interactions,Communication, Cell,Communications, Cell,Interaction, Cell,Interaction, Cell-to-Cell,Interactions, Cell,Interactions, Cell-to-Cell
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

Related Publications

Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
August 2007, The Journal of cell biology,
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
January 1989, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences,
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
July 2018, Biology of reproduction,
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
January 2003, Reproduction (Cambridge, England). Supplement,
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
January 2000, Results and problems in cell differentiation,
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
January 1963, Zeitschrift fur Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie (Vienna, Austria : 1948),
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
January 1990, Reproduction, fertility, and development,
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
January 2008, Advances in experimental medicine and biology,
Dolores D Mruk, and C Yan Cheng
October 1994, Contraception, fertilite, sexualite (1992),
Copied contents to your clipboard!