Griswold S L, Behringer R R
Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex., USA.
Sex Dev. 2009;3(1):1-15. doi: 10.1159/000200077. Epub 2009 Apr 1.
Male sexual differentiation is a complex process requiring the hormone-producing function of somatic cells in the gonad, including Sertoli cells and fetal Leydig cells (FLCs). FLCs are essential for virilization of the male embryo, but despite their crucial function, relatively little is known about their origins or development. Adult Leydig cells (ALCs), which arise at puberty, have been studied extensively and much of what has been learned about this cell population has been extrapolated to FLCs. This approach is problematic in that prevailing dogma in the field asserts that these 2 populations are distinct in origin. As such, it is imprudent to assume that FLCs arise and develop in a similar manner to ALCs. This review provides a critical assessment of studies performed on FLC populations, rather than those extrapolated from ALC studies to assemble a model for FLC origins and development. Furthermore, we underscore the need for conclusive identification of the source population of fetal Leydig cells.
男性性分化是一个复杂的过程，需要性腺中体细胞的激素分泌功能，包括支持细胞和胎儿睾丸间质细胞（FLCs）。胎儿睾丸间质细胞对于雄性胚胎的男性化至关重要，但尽管其功能关键，人们对其起源或发育却知之甚少。成年睾丸间质细胞（ALCs）在青春期出现，已得到广泛研究，并且许多关于该细胞群体的知识已外推至胎儿睾丸间质细胞。这种方法存在问题，因为该领域的主流观点认为这两种细胞群体起源不同。因此，假设胎儿睾丸间质细胞以与成年睾丸间质细胞相似的方式产生和发育是不明智的。本综述对针对胎儿睾丸间质细胞群体开展的研究进行了批判性评估，而非那些从成年睾丸间质细胞研究中推断出来的研究，以构建胎儿睾丸间质细胞起源和发育的模型。此外，我们强调需要确凿鉴定胎儿睾丸间质细胞的来源群体。
