Sertoli cells dictate spermatogonial stem cell niches in the mouse testis

Melissa J Oatley; Karen E Racicot; Jon M Oatley

doi:10.1095/biolreprod.110.087320

Back

Sertoli cells dictate spermatogonial stem cell niches in the mouse testis

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Sertoli cells dictate spermatogonial stem cell niches in the mouse testis

Melissa J Oatley, Karen E Racicot and Jon M Oatley

Biology of reproduction, Vol.84(4), pp.639-645

04/2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.110.087320

Handle:

https://hdl.handle.net/2376/106434

PMID: 21084712

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1095/biolreprod.110.087320View

Published (Version of record) Open

Abstract

Spermatogenesis

Cell Count

Male

Mice, 129 Strain

Sertoli Cells - drug effects

Testis - drug effects

Seminiferous Tubules - anatomy & histology

Sertoli Cells - cytology

Cell Differentiation

Spermatogonia - transplantation

Spermatogonia - cytology

Adult Stem Cells - transplantation

Testis - blood supply

Adult Stem Cells - cytology

Testis - cytology

Mice, Inbred C57BL

Mice, Transgenic

Propylthiouracil - pharmacology

Cell Lineage

Animals

Cell Proliferation - drug effects

Mice

Seminiferous Tubules - blood supply

Seminiferous Tubules - drug effects

Antithyroid Agents - pharmacology

Sustained spermatogenesis in adult males relies on the activity of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). In general, tissue-specific stem cell populations such as SSCs are influenced by contributions of support cells that form niche microenvironments. Previous studies have provided indirect evidence that several somatic cell populations and the interstitial vasculature influence SSC functions, but an individual orchestrator of niches has not been described. In this study, functional transplantation of SSCs, in combination with experimental alteration of Sertoli cell content by polythiouracil (PTU)-induced transient hypothyroidism, was used to explore the relationship of Sertoli cells with SSCs in testes of adult mice. Transplantation of SSCs from PTU-treated donor mice into seminiferous tubules of normal recipient mice revealed a greater than 3-fold increase in SSCs compared to those from testes of non-PTU-treated donors. In addition, use of PTU-treated mice as recipients for transplantation of SSCs from normal donors revealed a greater than 3-fold increase of accessible niches compared to those of testes of non-PTU treated recipient mice with normal numbers of Sertoli cells. Importantly, the area of seminiferous tubules bordered by interstitial tissue and percentage of seminiferous tubules associated with blood vessels was found to be no different in testes of PTU-treated mice compared to controls, indicating that neither the vasculature nor interstitial support cell populations influenced the alteration of niche number. Collectively, these results provide direct evidence that Sertoli cells are the key somatic cell population dictating the number of SSCs and niches in mammalian testes.

Metrics

10 Record Views

Details

Title: Sertoli cells dictate spermatogonial stem cell niches in the mouse testis
Creators: Melissa J Oatley - Department of Dairy and Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
Karen E Racicot
Jon M Oatley
Publication Details: Biology of reproduction, Vol.84(4), pp.639-645
Academic Unit: Molecular Biosciences, School of
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 HD061665-02 / NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD058137 / NICHD NIH HHS HD061665 / NICHD NIH HHS HD058137 / NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD061665 / NICHD NIH HHS
Identifiers: 99900546928001842
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article