Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Testes: Histology

Testes: Histology

A tough, fibrous membrane, the tunica albuginea, covers the testes, extending inward to form fibrous partitions or septa, dividing them into internal compartments called lobules. Each lobule has 1 to 3 tightly coiled seminiferous tubules where sperm production occurs. These tubules merge into a tubular network at the back of the testis, known as the rete testis. It connects to 15 to 20 efferent ductules, leading to the epididymis.
The spermatogenic cells, responsible for producing sperm, are...

Tight Junctions

Tight Junctions

Tight junctions are molecular seals between cells that prevent the leaking of fluids, ions, and other small solutes across cavities and compartments in multicellular organisms. They are mainly composed of claudin and occludin transmembrane proteins, and other proteins such as tricellulin and JAM (junctional adhesion molecule). All these proteins are 4-pass transmembrane proteins, except JAM, which is a single-pass transmembrane protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The...

Testes: Gross Anatomy

Testes: Gross Anatomy

The testes, also known as testicles, are the male gonads. They are housed within the scrotum, a sac-like structure located beneath the penis. The scrotum's primary role is to regulate the temperature of the testes, which is crucial for sperm production.
Each testis is surrounded by the tunica albuginea, a dense connective tissue layer that provides structural support and protection. This layer is covered by an outer serous membrane called the tunica vaginalis, which helps reduce friction...

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is the process by which haploid sperm cells are produced in the male testes. It starts with stem cells located close to the outer rim of seminiferous tubules. These spermatogonial stem cells divide asymmetrically to give rise to additional stem cells (meaning that these structures “self-renew”), as well as sperm progenitors, called spermatocytes. Importantly, this method of asymmetric mitotic division maintains a population of spermatogonial stem cells in the male reproductive...

Gap Junctions

Gap Junctions

Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...

Sperm Transport

Sperm Transport

The journey of sperm from its origin to the point of ejaculation begins within the seminiferous tubules of the testis. Here, Sertoli cells produce fluid that propels non-motile sperm through a series of conduits, starting with the straight tubules leading to the rete testis. This interconnected network of tubules acts as the initial pathway for sperm, guiding them into the efferent ductules and then into the epididymis for maturation.
The maturation phase occurs in the epididymis, where sperm...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Low and high frequency isometric handgrip exercise training similarly reduce resting blood pressure in young normotensive adults: A randomised controlled trial.

Journal of sports sciences·2025

Same author

Modeling Respiratory Syncytial Virus Adult Vaccination in the United States With a Dynamic Transmission Model.

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America·2023

Same author

Unraveling the Regulation of Cancer/Testis Antigens in Tumorigenesis Through an Analysis of Normal Germ Cell Development in Rodents.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2021

Same author

Spermiation: Insights from Studies on the Adjudin Model.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2021

Same author

Unilateral vocal cord palsy in a patient with jugular foramen schwannoma.

Hong Kong medical journal = Xianggang yi xue za zhi·2021

Same author

Testin regulates the blood-testis barrier via disturbing occludin/ZO-1 association and actin organization.

Journal of cellular physiology·2020

Same journal

The microlandscapes of tree trunks: the effect of lichen and tree-level characteristics on arthropod communities.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Centimetre-scale landscapes to assess the motion behaviour and cognition of gastropods and bivalves.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Intertidal microcosms of wave-swept rocky shores: ecological and physiological insights from a uniquely stressful environment.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Temporal and spatial variation in temperature and oxygen at the microscale: key niche axes for aquatic life.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Natural microcosms in ecology: fulfilling the promise of model systems?

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

Same journal

Microbe-induced galls and plant defence: metabolite crosstalk in a co-evolutionary battle.

Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

An In Vivo Method to Study Mouse Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity

An In Vivo Method to Study Mouse Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity

Published on: December 2, 2018

Tight junctions in the testis: new perspectives.

Dolores D Mruk¹, C Y Cheng

¹Population Council, Center for Biomedical Research, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. mruk@popcbr.rockefeller.edu

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences

|April 21, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The blood-testis barrier (BTB) uses tight junctions (TJs) to separate testicular compartments. Understanding how viruses and cancer cells exploit TJs may reveal how germ cells cross the BTB.

More Related Videos

Isolation of Sertoli Cells and Peritubular Cells from Rat Testes

Isolation of Sertoli Cells and Peritubular Cells from Rat Testes

Published on: February 8, 2016

Teratoma Generation in the Testis Capsule

Teratoma Generation in the Testis Capsule

Published on: November 7, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

An In Vivo Method to Study Mouse Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity

An In Vivo Method to Study Mouse Blood-Testis Barrier Integrity

Published on: December 2, 2018

Isolation of Sertoli Cells and Peritubular Cells from Rat Testes

Isolation of Sertoli Cells and Peritubular Cells from Rat Testes

Published on: February 8, 2016

Teratoma Generation in the Testis Capsule

Teratoma Generation in the Testis Capsule

Published on: November 7, 2011

Area of Science:

Reproductive Biology
Cell Biology
Molecular Biology

Background:

The blood-testis barrier (BTB), formed by Sertoli cell tight junctions (TJs), divides the testis into basal and adluminal compartments.
This barrier is crucial for protecting developing germ cells from the systemic circulation.
Preleptotene spermatocytes must traverse the BTB to mature, a process not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the mechanisms by which viruses and cancer cells exploit TJ proteins to cross cellular barriers.
To explore the potential application of this knowledge to understanding germ cell movement across the BTB.

Main Methods:

Literature review focusing on TJ proteins in viral and cancer cell invasion.
Comparative analysis of TJ protein function in different cellular contexts.

Main Results:

Viruses and cancer cells utilize TJ proteins to facilitate their own translocation across endothelial and epithelial barriers.
Insights into these hijacking mechanisms offer potential parallels for germ cell migration.

Conclusions:

Understanding how pathogens and cancer cells manipulate TJs provides a novel framework for investigating germ cell transmigration across the BTB.
Further research into TJ protein dynamics during spermatogenesis is warranted.