Department of Child Rehabilitation Division, Huai'an Maternal and Child Care Hospital, Huai'an 223002, China.
Department of Urology, The Affiliated Huai'an No.1 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an 223300, China.
Cells. 2022 Jan 21;11(3):352. doi: 10.3390/cells11030352.
Spermatogenesis is a complex process occurring in mammalian testes, and constant sperm production depends on the exact regulation of the microenvironment in the testes. Many studies have indicated the crucial role of blood-testis barrier (BTB) junctions and retinoic acid (RA) signaling in the spermatogenesis process. The BTB consists of junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells, comprised mainly of tight junctions and gap junctions. In vitamin A-deficient mice, halted spermatogenesis could be rebooted by RA or vitamin A administration, indicating that RA is absolutely required for spermatogenesis. Accordingly, this manuscript will review and discuss how RA and the BTB regulate spermatogenesis and the interaction between RA signaling and BTB function.
精子发生是一个发生在哺乳动物睾丸中的复杂过程，持续的精子生成依赖于睾丸内微环境的精确调节。许多研究表明，血睾屏障（BTB）连接和视黄酸（RA）信号在精子发生过程中起着关键作用。BTB 由相邻支持细胞之间的连接组成，主要由紧密连接和间隙连接组成。在维生素 A 缺乏的小鼠中，RA 或维生素 A 的给药可以重启停滞的精子发生，这表明 RA 绝对是精子发生所必需的。因此，本文将综述和讨论 RA 和 BTB 如何调节精子发生，以及 RA 信号与 BTB 功能之间的相互作用。
