Membrane-associated proteoglycans produced by Sertoli cells are not randomly distributed on the cell surface

Sertoli cells in culture synthesize two membrane-associated proteoglycans (PGs) containing as glycosaminoglycan (GAG) moieties either chondroitin sulfate (CS) or CS and heparan sulfate (HS); the latter PG is, therefore, referred to as the mixed PG. To determine if these PGs are randomly distributed on the cell surface, Sertoli cell monolayers were treated with chondroitinase ABC, and then the remaining PGs were analyzed by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography. The results obtained with Sertoli cell monolayers show that the CS of the mixed PG is degraded by chondroitinase, while the CS-PG is not degraded. In contrast, chondroitinase treatment of Sertoli cells in suspension shows that both the mixed PG and the CS-PG are degraded. From this, it is inferred that the mixed PG is apically oriented and the CS-PG is basolaterally oriented. Studies of the adhesion of germ cells to Sertoli cell monolayers give further support to the apical location of the mixed PG and suggest that its HS moiety is involved in the attachment of germ cells to Sertoli cells.