Population Council, Center for Biomedical Research, New York, New York, USA.
Int Rev Cell Mol Biol. 2011;286:223-69. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-385859-7.00005-7.
Mammalian spermatogenesis, a complex process that involves the movement of developing germ cells across the seminiferous epithelium, entails extensive restructuring of Sertoli-Sertoli and Sertoli-germ cell junctions. Presently, it is not entirely clear how zygotene spermatocytes gain entry into the adluminal compartment of the seminiferous epithelium, which is sealed off from the systemic circulation by the Sertoli cell component of the blood-testis barrier, without compromising barrier integrity. To begin to address this question, it is critical that we first have a good understanding of the biology and the regulation of different types of Sertoli-Sertoli and Sertoli-germ cell junctions in the testis. Supported by recent studies in the field, we discuss how crosstalk between different types of junctions contributes to their restructuring during germ cell movement across the blood-testis barrier. We place special emphasis on the emerging role of desmosome-like junctions as signal transducers during germ cell movement across the seminiferous epithelium.
哺乳动物的精子发生是一个复杂的过程，涉及发育中的生殖细胞在曲细精管上皮内的迁移，需要广泛重建支持细胞-支持细胞和支持细胞-生殖细胞连接。目前，尚不完全清楚精母细胞如何进入曲细精管上皮的管腔室，管腔室被血睾屏障的支持细胞成分与全身循环隔开而不受损害，以保持屏障的完整性。为了解决这个问题，我们首先必须很好地了解睾丸中不同类型的支持细胞-支持细胞和支持细胞-生殖细胞连接的生物学和调节。有最近该领域的研究支持，我们讨论了不同类型的连接之间的串扰如何有助于它们在生殖细胞穿过血睾屏障的运动过程中的重构。我们特别强调桥粒样连接作为生殖细胞穿过曲细精管上皮运动过程中的信号转导的新兴作用。
