Sertoli cells control peritubular myoid cell fate and support adult Leydig cell development in the prepubertal testis.

ABSTRACT: Sertoli cells (SCs) regulate testicular fate in the differentiating gonad and are the main regulators of spermatogenesis in the adult testis; however, their role during the intervening period of testis development, in particular during adult Leydig cell (ALC) differentiation and function, remains largely unknown. To examine SC function during fetal and prepubertal development we generated two transgenic mouse models that permit controlled, cell-specific ablation of SCs in pre- and postnatal life. Results show that SCs are required: (1) to maintain the differentiated phenotype of peritubular myoid cells (PTMCs) in prepubertal life; (2) to maintain the ALC progenitor population in the postnatal testis; and (3) for development of normal ALC numbers. Furthermore, our data show that fetal LCs f

SUBMITTER: Rebourcet D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4011090 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature