Institute of Anatomy, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany.
Histol Histopathol. 2011 Oct;26(10):1343-52. doi: 10.14670/HH-26.1343.
Spermatogenesis is an intensely regulated process of germ cell development which takes place in the seminiferous tubules of the testis. In addition to known endocrine and autocrine/paracrine signaling pathways, there is now strong evidence that direct intercellular communication via gap junction channels and their specific connexins represents an important mechanism in the regulation of spermatogenesis. Another possibility is that connexins may indirectly regulate the spermatogenic process through modulation of tight and adherens junction proteins, further main structural components of the Sertoli-Sertoli junctional complexes at the blood-testis barrier site. The present review is focused on connexin 43 and updates its possible roles and functions in testicular junction dynamics and in the initiation and maintenance of spermatogenesis. In addition, testicular phenotypes of recently generated (1) conventional connexin 43 knockout mice, (2) connexin 43 knockin mice and (3) transgenic mice exhibiting a cell-specific (conditional) connexin 43 knockout will be discussed.
精子发生是一个严格调控的生殖细胞发育过程，发生在睾丸的生精小管中。除了已知的内分泌和自分泌/旁分泌信号通路外，现在有强有力的证据表明，通过缝隙连接通道及其特定连接蛋白的直接细胞间通讯是调节精子发生的重要机制。另一种可能性是，连接蛋白可能通过调节紧密连接和黏附连接蛋白间接调节精子发生过程，而这些蛋白是血睾屏障部位的 Sertoli-Sertoli 连接复合体的主要结构成分。本文综述重点介绍了连接蛋白 43，并更新了其在睾丸连接动力学以及精子发生的启动和维持中的可能作用和功能。此外，还将讨论最近产生的（1）传统连接蛋白 43 敲除小鼠、（2）连接蛋白 43 敲入小鼠和（3）表现出细胞特异性（条件性）连接蛋白 43 敲除的转基因小鼠的睾丸表型。
