Sertoli cell anatomy and cytoskeleton

The Sertoli cell: one hundred fifty years of beauty and plasticity

“…The next phase began after the invention of the electron microscope (TEM), which was used to record higher resolution images of Sertoli cell organelles and membranes, and lasted until about 2000. The final phase has been immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence (Hess & Vogl, ), which began prior to 2000, but has gradually become the major tool for localizing specific proteins in the testis (Hogarth & Griswold, ) and three‐dimensional imaging of Sertoli–germ cell interactions (Fig. ).…”

“…(A) Actin filaments (green) are seen along the basal Sertoli/Sertoli tight junctions but also lining the heads of elongated spermatids; (B) Claudin‐11 (red) stains only the basal junctional complex; (C) Actin (green), Rab5 (red) and DAPI (blue for nucleus) show the intricate relationship of these proteins to the tubulobulbar complex; (D) Androgen receptor (brown) stains only the Sertoli cell nucleus in the hamster seminiferous epithelium. Original illustration provided by Dr. Wayne Vogl (Hess & Vogl, ). Modified with approval of the Copyright © holder for Sertoli Cell Biology, 2nd edition, Elsevier Academic Press.…”

Sertoli cells for cell transplantation: pre‐clinical studies and future perspectives

“…The fine structure of SCs remained a mystery until 1955 when electron microscopy unfolded cellular membranes and junctional complexes (Burgos & Fawcett, ). Moreover, electron microscopy and new imaging techniques have provided insights into the complex interactions of SCs with germinal cells, adjacent SCs, and cells of the seminiferous tubule wall (Morales & Clermont, ; Russell, ; Hess & Vogl, ). SCs are large (75–100 μm in diameter) columnar cells containing numerous processes with deep involutions or crypts where individual developing germinal cells reside (Kaur et al ., ; Hess & Vogl, ).…”

“…Moreover, electron microscopy and new imaging techniques have provided insights into the complex interactions of SCs with germinal cells, adjacent SCs, and cells of the seminiferous tubule wall (Morales & Clermont, ; Russell, ; Hess & Vogl, ). SCs are large (75–100 μm in diameter) columnar cells containing numerous processes with deep involutions or crypts where individual developing germinal cells reside (Kaur et al ., ; Hess & Vogl, ). The basolateral surface of contiguous SCs exhibits tight, cell‐to‐cell junctions that isolate the seminiferous epithelium into two compartments (basal and adluminal).…”

Internalization of Intact Intercellular Junctions in the Testis by Clathrin/Actin‐Mediated Endocytic Structures: Tubulobulbar Complexes

“…The morphology and composition of TBC indicates to us that the structures likely evolved from the basic clathrinmediated endocytosis mechanism common to cells generally, and along the way they incorporated unique features to accommodate the cyclic turnover of massive and "intact" intercellular junctions that occurs during spermatogenesis.Sertoli cells are the major architectural and regulatory elements of the seminiferous epithelium of the testis (Franca et al, 2016), and are ideal model systems for exploring cytoskeleton/junction interrelationships in cells within the context of tissues. All major junction types are present in this cell type (Cheng and Mruk, 2015) and elements of the cytoskeleton, particularly actin, are abundant (Hess and Vogl, 2015). Moreover, both the cytoskeleton and the associated junctions are dynamic and change in a regular and cyclical fashion during spermatogenesis.…”