Chapter category: Reproductive Biology

Blood-Testis Barrier, Junctional and Transport Proteins and Spermatogenesis

This chapter appears in the following book:

Molecular Mechanisms
in Spermatogenesis

Edited by: C. Yan Cheng
ISBN: 978-0-387-79990-2
» Get more information about this book at landesbioscience.com «

Chapter authors:
B.P. Setchell

[+] view image

The term “blood-testis barrier” appears to have been first used by Chiquoine1 in an article on effects of cadmium on the testis, but evidence for such a barrier already existed, dating back to the early years of the twentieth century (see ref. 2 for early references). In a number of studies, it was shown that some dyes when injected into animals, stained most tissues, with the notable exceptions of the brain and the seminiferous tubules of the testis. The former observation was rapidly taken up and developed to form the basis for the concept of the blood-brain barrier,3,4 but it was only with the studies of Kormano5 that the true significance of the earlier observations on the testis was recognized. He showed that dyes which were excluded from the tubules of adult rats readily penetrated those of prepubertal animals. In addition, Kormano noticed that staining of interstitial cells with acriflavine also fell around the time of puberty, suggesting a change in the blood vessels as well as the tubules. At about the same time as Kormano’s studies, Waites and I showed that testis blood flow measured by indicator dilution with rubidium gave much lower values that with iodoantipyrine, while similar values were obtained in most other organs except brain,6 suggesting that rubidium was also excluded to some extent from parts of the testis, as it was known to be from the brain.

» Access chapter for $19

Additional chapters from this book:

Proteases and Their Cognate Inhibitors of the Serine and Metalloprotease Subclasses, in Testicular Physiology

Brigitte Le Magueresse-Battistoni

The testis is a highly dynamic organ not only in the fetal stage but also during postnatal development and in adult life. It is composed of two major compartments: the intersti- tium with the ste...

The Sertoli Cell Cytoskeleton

A.W. Vogl, K.S. Vaid and J.A. Guttman

The cytoskeleton of terminally differentiated mammalian Sertoli cells is one of the most elaborate of those that have been described for cells in tissues. Actin filaments, interme- diate filament...

The Role of the Leydig Cell in Spermatogenic Function

Renshan Ge, Guorong Chen and Matthew P. Hardy

Two anatomically distinct compartments, respectively, the interstitium where Leydig cells reside and the seminiferous tubules contribute the major functions of the testis, test- osterone secretio...

Blood-Testis Barrier, Junctional and Transport Proteins and Spermatogenesis

B.P. Setchell

Cross-Talk between Tight and Anchoring Junctions—Lesson from the Testis

Helen H.N. Yan, Dolores D. Mruk, Will M. Lee and C. Yan Cheng

Spermatogenesis takes place in the seminiferous tubules in adult testes such as rats, in which developing germ cells must traverse the seminiferous epithelium while spermato gonia (2n, diploid) u...

Transcription Regulation in Spermatogenesis

Wing-Yee Lui and C. Yan Cheng

Spermatogenesis is a highly coordinated process in which diploid spermatogonia (2n) differentiate into mature haploid (1n) spermatozoa in the seminiferous epithelium. In this process, spermatogo...

Estrogens and Spermatogenesis

Chandrima Shaha

For many years androgens were thought to be the primary hormones required for proper functioning of the male reproductive system and testes were shown to be the major producers of the hormone. I...

Nitric Oxide and Cyclic Nucleotides: Their Roles in Junction Dynamics and Spermatogenesis

Nikki P.Y. Lee and C. Yan Cheng

Spermatogenesis is a highly complicated process in which functional spermatozoa (haploid, 1n) are generated from primitive mitotic spermatogonia (diploid, 2n). This process involves the differentiatio...

Inflammatory Networks in the Control of Spermatogenesis Chronic Inflammation in an Immunologically Privileged Tissue?

Moira K. O′Bryan and Mark P. Hedger

Spermatogenesis is a complex, organized process involving intimate interactions between the developing germ cells and supporting Sertoli cells. The process is also highly regulated. Studies sugg...

Spermatogenesis and Cycle of the Seminiferous Epithelium

Rex A. Hess and Luiz Renato de Franca

Spermatogenesis is a complex biological process of cellular transformation that produces male haploid germ cells from diploid spermatogonial stem cells. This process has been simplified morpholo...

Extracellular Matrix and Its Role in Spermatogenesis

Michelle K.Y. Siu and C. Yan Cheng

In adult mammalian testes, such as rats, Sertoli and germ cells at different stages of their development in the seminiferous epithelium are in close contact with the basement mem- brane, a modifi...

Antioxidant Systems and Oxidative Stress in the Testes

R. John Aitken and Shaun D. Roman

Spermatogenesis is an extremely active replicative process capable of generating approxi- mately 1000 sperm a second. The high rates of cell division inherent in this process imply correspondingl...

Selenium, a Key Element in Spermatogenesis and Male Fertility

Carla Boitani and Rossella Puglisi

Selenium is essential for normal spermatogenesis of mammals and its critical role is mainly mediated by two selenoproteins, namely Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase(PHGPx/GPx4) and Sel...

Testicular Development and Spermatogenesis: Harvesting the Postgenomics Bounty

Antoine D. Rolland, Bernard Jégou and Charles Pineau

Spermatogenesis is a sophisticated process facilitating transmission of the genetic patrimony and, thus, perpetuation of the species. Mammalian spermatogenesis is classically divided into three 3 phas...

Chapter category: Reproductive Biology

Blood-Testis Barrier, Junctional and Transport Proteins and Spermatogenesis

Additional chapters from this book:

SIGN IN