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Age-dependent changes in the in-vitro response of a pig Sertoli cell-enriched population to FSH
1Unité Endocrinologie de la gamétogenèse, INRA Station de physiologie de la reproduction, CNRS URA 234, Nouzilly, Monnaie, France.
Insights
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) impacts pig Sertoli cell plasminogen activator (PA) secretion differently across developmental stages. Early in development, Sertoli cells show higher FSH sensitivity, crucial for initiating spermatogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Endocrinology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Sertoli cells are crucial for spermatogenesis, supporting germ cell development.
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plays a key role in regulating Sertoli cell function.
- Plasminogen activator (PA) secretion by Sertoli cells is a marker of their activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dose-dependent response of pig Sertoli cell-enriched cultures to FSH.
- To analyze changes in FSH sensitivity and PA secretion during nonpubertal and prepubertal development.
- To correlate FSH-stimulated PA secretion with the appearance of germ cells in seminiferous tubules.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of Sertoli cell-enriched populations from piglet testes at various weights.
- Measurement of plasminogen activator (PA) secretion in response to varying FSH concentrations.
- Determination of the effective dose 50 (ED50) for FSH stimulation.
Main Results:
- FSH dose-dependently increased PA secretion in pig Sertoli cell cultures.
- FSH sensitivity (lower ED50) was highest in cells from testes weighing 10-22 g.
- FSH sensitivity decreased in heavier testes, while overall FSH-stimulated PA secretion increased significantly (approx. 10-fold) from 25 g onwards.
Conclusions:
- Pig Sertoli cells exhibit dynamic changes in FSH sensitivity during development.
- Increased FSH sensitivity in late nonpubertal stages may initiate spermatogenesis.
- Decreased FSH sensitivity during the prepubertal period suggests developmental regulation of Sertoli cell function.
Abstract:
The response of pig Sertoli cell-enriched cultures to FSH was investigated by measuring plasminogen activator (PA) secretion in culture, throughout the nonpubertal and prepubertal periods. Sertoli cell-enriched populations could be isolated from birth until a testicular weight of 56 g. FSH elicited a dose-dependent increase in PA secretion by pig Sertoli cell-enriched cultures. The ED50 was minimal for cells coming from testes weighing 10-22 g, and increased more than 2-fold for cells from heavier testes. This suggests that, at the end of the non-pubertal period, an increased FSH sensitivity is important for initiation of spermatogenesis in this species, and that during the prepubertal period Sertoli cells become less sensitive to FSH. The FSH-stimulated PA secretion increased about 10-fold from a testicular weight of 25 g onwards, i.e. when primary spermatocytes appear in seminiferous tubules.