Sertoli cell
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| Sertoli cell | |
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| Germinal epithelium of the testicle. 1: basal lamina 2: spermatogonia 3: spermatocyte 1st order 4: spermatocyte 2nd order 5: spermatid 6: mature spermatid 7: Sertoli cell 8: tight junction (blood testis barrier) | |
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| Histological section through testicular parenchyma of a boar. 1 Lumen of Tubulus seminiferus contortus 2 spermatids 3 spermatocytes 4 spermatogonia 5 Sertoli cell 6 Myofibroblasts 7 Leydig cells 8 capillaries | |
| Gray's | subject #258 1243 |
| MeSH | Sertoli+Cells |
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A Sertoli cell (a kind of sustentacular cell) is a 'nurse' cell of the testes which is part of a seminiferous tubule.
It is activated by follicle-stimulating hormone, and has FSH-receptor on its membranes.
Functions
Its main function is to nurture the developing sperm cells through the stages of spermatogenesis. Because of this, it has also been called the "mother cell." It provides both secretory and structural support.
Secretory
Sertoli cells secrete the following substances:
- anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) - secreted during the early stages of fetal life.
- androgen binding protein - facilitate spermatogenesis and sperm maturation
- glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) - has been demonstrated to function in promoting undifferentiating spermatogonia, which ensures stem cell self-renewal during the perinatal period.
- the Ets related molecule (ERM transcription factor) - needed for maintenance of the spermatogonial stem cell in the adult testis.
Structural
The junctions of Sertoli cells form the blood-testis barrier, a structure that partitions the interstitial blood compartment of the testis from the adluminal compartment of the seminiferous tubules. Sertoli cells control the entry and exit of nutrients, hormones and other chemicals into the tubules of the testis as well as make the adluminal compartment an immune-privileged site.
The cell is also responsible for establishing and maintaining the spermatogonial stem cell niche, which ensures the renewal of stem cells and the differentiation of spermatogonia into mature germ cells that progress stepwise through the long process of spermatogenesis, ending in the release of spermatozoa.
Other functions
During the Maturation phase of spermiogenesis, the Sertoli cells consume the unneeded portions of the spermatazoa.
Production of Sertoli cells
Once fully differentiated, the Sertoli cell is unable to proliferate. Therefore, once spermatogenesis has begun, no more Sertoli cells are created.
Recently however, some scientists have found a way to grow these cells outside of the body. This gives rise to the possibility of repairing some defects that cause male infertility.
Nomenclature
Sertoli cells are called so because of their eponym Enrico Sertoli, an Italian physiologist who discovered them while studying medicine in the University of Pavia, Italy. [1]
He published a description of this cell in 1865. The cell was discovered by Sertoli with a Belthle microscope purchased in 1862, which he used while studying medicine.
In the 1865 publication, his first description used the terms "tree-like cell" or "stringy cell" and most importantly he referred to these "mother cells." It was other scientists who used Enrico's family name, Sertoli, to label these cell in publications, starting in 1888. As of 2006, two textbooks that are devoted specifically to the Sertoli cell have been published.
Histology
On slides, using standard staining, it can be easy to confuse the Sertoli cells with the other cells of the germinal epithelium. The most distinctive of the Sertoli cells is the dark nucleolus.[1]
Pathology
Sertoli-Leydig cell tumour are part of the sex cord-stromal tumour group of ovarian neoplasms.
Additional images
 Transverse section of a tubule of the testis of a rat. X 250. |
References
External link
- Reproductive Physiology at ufp.pt
- Histology at BU 17805loa
- Histology at BU 17806loa
- Histology at USC rep/c_74
- Histology at OU 29_04
it:Cellula del Sertoli he:תא סרטולי nl:Sertolicelsimple:Sertoli cell
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
