Macrophages Contribute to the Spermatogonial Niche in the Adult Testis.
Cell Rep
; 12(7): 1107-19, 2015 Aug 18.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-26257171
ABSTRACT
The testis produces sperm throughout the male reproductive lifespan by balancing self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Part of the SSC niche is thought to lie outside the seminiferous tubules of the testis; however, specific interstitial components of the niche that regulate spermatogonial divisions and differentiation remain undefined. We identified distinct populations of testicular macrophages, one of which lies on the surface of seminiferous tubules, in close apposition to areas of tubules enriched for undifferentiated spermatogonia. These macrophages express spermatogonial proliferation- and differentiation-inducing factors, such as colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) and enzymes involved in retinoic acid (RA) biosynthesis. We show that transient depletion of macrophages leads to a disruption in spermatogonial differentiation. These findings reveal an unexpected role for macrophages in the spermatogonial niche in the testis and raise the possibility that macrophages play previously unappreciated roles in stem/progenitor cell regulation in other tissues.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Espermatogênese
/
Espermatogônias
/
Testículo
/
Nicho de Células-Tronco
/
Macrófagos
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Cell Rep
Ano de publicação:
2015
Tipo de documento:
Article