Testicular Migration: Remodeling of Connective Tissue and Muscle Cells in Human Gubernaculum Testis

Abstract

During testicular migration gubernacular connective tissue undergoes extensive remodeling and ultimately becomes an essentially fibrous structure rich in collagen and elastic fibers. Such changes should decrease the size of the gubernaculum and, thus, contribute to other forces that cause the testes to move toward the scrotum. In fact, because of the lack of smooth muscle cells, and the amount and organization of striated muscle cells, active contraction of the gubernaculum is less likely to be an important factor in testicular descent.

A new role for androgen in testicular descent: permitting gubernacular cell proliferation in response to the neuropeptide, calcitonin gene–related peptide

“…Cremaster muscle cells are originally formed by differentiation of mesenchymal cells into myoblasts, which then fuse to become mature skeletal muscle fibres [29]. It is likely that the increased cell proliferation in the tip with exogenous CGRP is in cells committed to the myogenic cell lineage, which express CGRP receptors, rather than the undifferentiated mesenchymal cells.…”

Human testicular insulin-like factor 3: in relation to development, reproductive hormones and andrological disorders

“…Completion of the process is often described to occur at gw 15 (Hutson et al. , 1990; Hutson & Hasthorpe, 2005), but some authors report the testis to reach the inguinal canal at gw 20–23 (Costa et al. , 2002; Klonisch et al.…”

Cryptorchidie : de la physiopathologie à l’infertilité

“…Sous l'effet des androgè nes, ses neurones sensitifs libè rent au niveau de leurs dendrites un peptide : le calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP). Ce peptide va agir localement directement au niveau du muscle dartos du scrotum (cellules musculaires strié es) et au niveau du gubernaculum testis (cellules musculaires lisses et strié es) [21]. Les contractions rythmiques induites vont contribuer à attirer les testicules en position scrotale, permettant ainsi leur descente dé finitive dans les bourses [14].…”