The Role of Mononuclear Phagocytes in the Testes and Epididymis

Shi, Xu; Zhao, Hu; Dong, Xinyi; Yu, Caiqian; Xie, Qinying; Duan, Yong‐Gang; Liao, Aihua; Huang, Donghui

doi:10.3390/ijms24010053

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 158 publications

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“…Macrophages, the most abundant immunoreactive cells in the mouse epididymis [60], are self-maintained at homeostasis independently of the bone marrow hematopoietic precursors, and colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) is essential for the survival of testicular and epididymal macrophages [61]. Macrophages are predominantly distributed in the mesenchymal and peritubular regions of the epididymis, the highest concentration of macrophages can be found in the IS and the caput region, where the dendritic extensions into the lumen are more extensive.…”

Section: Macrophagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent advances in the study of the structure and function of the epididymis

Wang,

Xie,

Liu

et al. 2024

Explor Immunol

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Testicular sperm maturation is critical for establishing male fertility. Spermatozoa undergo remodeling of sperm proteins and changes in lipid and ribonucleic acid composition during transport in the epididymal ducts, which play an important role in sperm maturation. The anatomy, epithelial cell types, physiological functions, and epigenetic inheritance of the epididymis are explored, and recent findings in epididymal research are analyzed. Suggesting possible directions for future research on the epididymis. Using the keywords “epididymis”, “sperm”, and “sperm maturation”, a search of the epididymis was performed through databases and official websites of journals related to reproduction. The epididymis was searched in databases and on the official websites of journals related to reproduction. This review introduces the characteristics of the epididymis, as well as the biological functions of cell types such as principal cells, clear cells, and basal cells, providing a detailed description of the overall physiological functions of the epididymis. It highlights current research hotspots in the field of epididymis, including single-cell analysis, epigenetics, and extracellular vesicles, aiming to offer a comprehensive understanding for beginners. The review emphasizes the importance of the epididymis, its impact on sperm maturation and subsequent embryo development, and how it advances research on epididymal diseases while providing new directions for the study and treatment strategies of infertility.

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Section: Macrophagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent advances in the study of the structure and function of the epididymis

Wang,

Xie,

Liu

et al. 2024

Explor Immunol

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“…(39). A separate category is tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which populate many types of tumors and, depending on the cancer type and tumor environment, fight or promote cancer development and metastasis (40)(41)(42)(43) Another distinct category, described as a mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS), includes all types of macrophages and their bone marrow (BM) progenitors (44).…”

Section: Types Of Macrophagesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Macrophages and stem/progenitor cells interplay in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle: a review

Kloc¹,

Uosef²,

Ubelaker³

et al. 2023

Stem Cell Investig

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Like all immune cells, macrophages do not act autonomously but in unison with other immune cells, surrounding tissues, and the niche they occupy. Constant exchange of information between cellular and noncellular participants within a tissue allows for preserving homeostasis and defining responses in a pathologic environment. Although molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in reciprocal signaling between macrophages and other immune cells have been known for decades, much less is known about interactions between macrophages and stem/progenitor cells. Based on the time when stem cells form, there are two stem cell types: embryonic stem cells existing only in an early embryo, which are pluripotent and can differentiate into any cell type present in an adult, and somatic (adult) stem cells formed in fetus and persisting for whole adult life. Tissues and organs have their own (tissue-specific and organ-specific) adult stem cells, which serve as a reserve for tissue homeostasis and regeneration after injury. It is still uncertain whether organ-and tissue-specific stem cells are actual stem cells or just progenitor cells. The important question is how stem/progenitor cells can sculpt macrophage phenotype and functions. Even less is known if or how macrophages can shape stem/progenitor cell functions, their divisions, and fate. We describe here examples from recent studies of how stem/progenitor cells can affect macrophages and how macrophages can influence stem/progenitor cell properties, functions, and destiny.

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“…Testicular macrophages can be distinguished by their origins, their polarization status, the cytokines they produce and their functions. The table summarizes the information collected from three references (Williams et al, 2018;Shi et al, 2022;Mass et al, 2023).…”

Section: Cell-cell Interaction Between Testicular Macrophages and Ger...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Do macrophages play a role in the adverse effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on testicular functions?

Cui,

Culty

2023

Front. Toxicol.

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During the past decades, several endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been confirmed to affect male reproductive function and fertility in animal studies. EDCs are suspected to exert similar effects in humans, based on strong associations between levels of antiandrogenic EDCs in pregnant women and adverse reproductive effects in infants. Testicular macrophages (tMΦ) play a vital role in modulating immunological privilege and maintaining normal testicular homeostasis as well as fetal development. Although tMΦ were not historically studied in the context of endocrine disruption, they have emerged as potential targets to consider due to their critical role in regulating cells such as spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and Leydig cells. Few studies have examined the impact of EDCs on the ability of testicular cells to communicate and regulate each other’s functions. In this review, we recapitulate what is known about tMΦ functions and interactions with other cell types in the testis that support spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. We also surveyed the literature for reports on the effects of the EDCs genistein and DEHP on tMΦ, SSCs, Sertoli and Leydig cells. Our goal is to explore the possibility that EDC disruption of tMΦ interactions with other cell types may play a role in their adverse effects on testicular developmental programming and functions. This approach will highlight gaps of knowledge, which, once resolved, should improve the risk assessment of EDC exposure and the development of safeguards to protect male reproductive functions.

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The Role of Mononuclear Phagocytes in the Testes and Epididymis

Cited by 6 publications

References 158 publications

Recent advances in the study of the structure and function of the epididymis

Recent advances in the study of the structure and function of the epididymis

Macrophages and stem/progenitor cells interplay in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle: a review

Do macrophages play a role in the adverse effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on testicular functions?

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