Activin A and Sertoli Cells: Key to Fetal Testis Steroidogenesis.

ABSTRACT: The long-standing knowledge that Sertoli cells determine fetal testosterone production levels is not widespread, despite being first reported over a decade ago in studies of mice. Hence any ongoing use of testosterone as a marker of Leydig cell function in fetal testes is inappropriate. By interrogating new scRNAseq data from human fetal testes, we demonstrate this situation is also likely to be true in humans. This has implications for understanding how disruptions to either or both Leydig and Sertoli cells during the in utero masculinization programming window may contribute to the increasing incidence of hypospadias, cryptorchidism, testicular germ cell tumours and adult infertility. We recently discovered that activin A levels directly govern androgen production in mouse Sertoli

SUBMITTER: O'Donnell L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9171382 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature