Characterization of Sertoli cell-germ cell junctional specializations in dissociated testicular cells

To further characterize Sertoli cell-germ cell junctional specializations seminiferous tubules from sexually mature Sprague-Dawley rats were dissociated by enzymatic and mechanical methods. Ultrastructural analysis of cell suspensions prepared by incubation in collagenase alone or by mechanical methods revealed that spermatids remained attached to Sertoli cells or Sertoli cell fragments. Such cellular associations were found only between Sertoli cell fragments and spematids in which the developing acrosome had made contact with the plasma membrane (step 8 and subsequent steps of spermiogenesis). Furthermore, the fragments were confined to that region of the plasma membrane over the acrosome. The Sertoli cell half of this adhesive site displayed the typical elements of Sertoli cell junctions, filamentous bundles and associated cisterna of endoplasmic reticulum, in apposition to the spermatids. The spermatids demonstrated no surface specializations at the attachment sites. In contrast, in cell suspensions prepared with trypsin, spermatids were free of attachments to Sertoli cells or their fragments. These results demonstrate that: (1) the junctions act to bind cells together, (2) adhesive type contact is established between Sertoli cells and spermatids at step 8 and subsequent steps of spermiogenesis, (3) contact is restricted to the spermatid plasma membrane over the acrosome, and (4) spermatids can be freed from the junctional specializations by treatment with trypsin.