Seidl K, Holstein A F
Institute for Hormone and Fertility Research (IHF), Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany.
Cell Tissue Res. 1990 Sep;261(3):539-47. doi: 10.1007/BF00313533.
Seminiferous tubules from human testes were mechanically isolated, the cut edges were sealed, and the tubules were cultured in medium free of fetal calf serum (FCS). Degeneration of germ cells occurred during the culture period and was paralleled by a disruption of the seminiferous epithelium, a disturbance in morphology and function of Sertoli cells, and a thickening of the lamina propria. However, when tubules were cultured for 5 days in the presence of FCS, degeneration of the spermatogenic tissue was reduced. FCS increased the mitotic activity of germ cells, but did not maintain normal morphology and function of Sertoli cells and cellular elements of the lamina propria. The thickening of the tubular wall concurred with a change in phenotype of lamina-propria cells from myoid to fibroblastic. Addition of nerve growth factor (NGF) to the culture medium (i) maintained the myoid phenotype of lamina-propria cells, (ii) prevented thickening of the tubular wall, and (iii) stabilized Sertoli cell morphology and function. The effects of NGF appeared to depend on the trophic effects of FCS, since NGF alone had no influence on the maintenance of a regular morphology of the spermatogenic epithelium. The present results indicate a decisive role for NGF in stabilizing specific functions of seminiferous tubules.
从人睾丸中机械分离出曲细精管，将其断端封闭，然后在不含胎牛血清（FCS）的培养基中培养。在培养期间生殖细胞发生退化，同时伴有生精上皮的破坏、支持细胞形态和功能的紊乱以及固有层增厚。然而，当曲细精管在有FCS存在的情况下培养5天时，生精组织的退化减少。FCS增加了生殖细胞的有丝分裂活性，但未维持支持细胞和固有层细胞成分的正常形态和功能。管壁增厚与固有层细胞从肌样细胞表型转变为成纤维细胞表型有关。向培养基中添加神经生长因子（NGF）：（i）维持了固有层细胞的肌样细胞表型，（ii）防止了管壁增厚，（iii）稳定了支持细胞的形态和功能。NGF的作用似乎依赖于FCS的营养作用，因为单独的NGF对生精上皮正常形态的维持没有影响。目前的结果表明NGF在稳定曲细精管的特定功能中起决定性作用。
