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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...

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Quantitative Imaging of Lineage-specific Toll-like Receptor-mediated Signaling in Monocytes and Dendritic Cells from Small Samples of Human Blood

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A Single-Cell Transcriptome Atlas Characterizes the Immune Landscape of Human Testes During Aging.

Qiaoling Jiang^1,2,3, Lina Cui^2,3,4, Xichen Nie^5,6

¹The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.

|March 7, 2025

Summary

Aging alters immune cells in the human testes, particularly monocytes and macrophages. These changes, observed in men over 40, may drive inflammation and impact reproductive health.

Keywords:

aging human testis immune cells single‐cell RNA‐seq

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Area of Science:

Immunology
Reproductive Biology
Aging Research

Background:

Immune regulation is crucial for tissue function and is disrupted by aging.
The impact of aging on immune cells within the human testes remains poorly understood.
Understanding testicular immune aging is vital for reproductive health.

Purpose of the Study:

To profile immune cells in human testes across a range of ages.
To identify age-related changes in testicular immune cell populations and their functions.
To uncover molecular mechanisms underlying immune aging in the male reproductive system.

Main Methods:

Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on 33 human testis samples.
Samples were collected from individuals aged 21 to 69 years.
Bioinformatic analysis identified key immune cell types and age-associated molecular pathways.

Main Results:

Key immune cells identified include CD8+ T cells, monocytes, cDC2 cells, and macrophage subtypes.
Age-related alterations were observed in monocytes and MRC1hi tissue-resident macrophages (TRM).
Individuals over 40 showed significant pathway shifts in phagocytosis, cytokine signaling, and antigen presentation, with monocytes exhibiting pro-inflammatory traits.

Conclusions:

Aging induces distinct changes in human testicular immune cells, particularly monocytes and macrophages.
These age-related immune shifts may contribute to low-grade inflammation and impact reproductive health.
This study provides a valuable resource for understanding immune aging in the male reproductive system.