Hormonal Regulation of Sertoli Cell Functions and Differentiation
Abstract：Sertoli cell is the epithelial cell responsible for the onset ofpubertal development and maintenance of spermatogenesis in the adult,and its functions and differentiations are regulated by many factors including hormones,cytokines,cell adhesion molecules(CAMs），etc．Follicle-stimulating hormone（FSH），one of the primary endocrine hormones in the adult testis，can modulate the majority of differentiation functions of Sertoli cell，including stimulation of androgen binding protein（ABP），inhibin and iron-binding protein transferrin through multiple signaling and transcriptional activation pathways．cAMP and calcium are the main messenger regulators of Sertoli cell functions involved in signal transduction triggered by FSH．FSHR-deficient male mice are fertile but display small testes and partial spermatogenic failure．So FSH signal is not essential for initiating spermatogenesis，it appears to be required for adequate viability and motility of sperm．Another hormone known to be important in control and regulation of Sertoli cell proliferation and differentiation is thyroid hormone （T3）．T3 can regulate the duration of Sertoli cell proliferation and affect adult Sertoli cell number and the capacity of the testis to produce sperm．
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Publication Date：2001-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 48-51 )