Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
Laboratory of Microscopy and Microanalysis, Department of Biology, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
Cell Biol Int. 2021 Aug;45(8):1613-1623. doi: 10.1002/cbin.11612. Epub 2021 May 3.
The male urogenital system is composed of the reproductive system and the urinary tract; they have an interconnected embryonic development and share one of their anatomical components, the urethra. This system has a highly complex physiology deeply interconnected with the circulatory and nervous systems, as well as being capable of adapting to environmental variations; it also undergoes changes with aging and, in the case of the reproductive system, with seasonality. The stroma is an essential component in this physiological plasticity and its complexity has increased with the description in the last decade of a new cell type, the telocyte. Several studies have demonstrated the presence of telocytes in the organs of the male urogenital system and other systems; however, their exact function is not yet known. The present review addresses current knowledge about telocytes in the urogenital system in terms of their locations, interrelationships, possible functions and pathological implications. It has been found that telocytes in the urogenital system possibly have a leading role in stromal tissue organization/maintenance, in addition to participation in stem cell niches and an association with the immune system, as well as specific functions in the urogenital system, lipid synthesis in the testes, erythropoiesis in the kidneys and the micturition reflex in the bladder. There is also evidence that telocytes are involved in pathologies in the kidneys, urethra, bladder, prostate, and testes.
男性生殖泌尿系统由生殖系统和泌尿系统组成；它们具有相互关联的胚胎发育，并共享解剖学成分之一的尿道。该系统具有高度复杂的生理学，与循环和神经系统密切相关，并且能够适应环境变化；它还会随着年龄的增长而发生变化，在生殖系统的情况下，还会随着季节性而变化。基质是这种生理可塑性的重要组成部分，其复杂性随着过去十年对一种新的细胞类型——间质细胞的描述而增加。多项研究表明，间质细胞存在于男性生殖泌尿系统和其他系统的器官中；然而，它们的确切功能尚不清楚。本综述从位置、相互关系、可能的功能和病理意义等方面介绍了男性生殖泌尿系统中间质细胞的最新知识。研究发现，男性生殖泌尿系统中的间质细胞可能在基质组织的组织/维持中起主要作用，此外还参与干细胞龛和与免疫系统的关联，以及在生殖泌尿系统中的特定功能，如睾丸中的脂质合成、肾脏中的红细胞生成和膀胱中的排尿反射。也有证据表明间质细胞参与了肾脏、尿道、膀胱、前列腺和睾丸的病理学。
