STUDIES ON THE STRUCTURAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ACTIN FILAMENTS AND SERTOLI CELL BARRIER / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cytochalasin E(CE) on the integrity of Sertoli cell barrier. The results indicate that (1) In the CE-treated testis(1000-2000 ?mol/L CE/testis, 6-14 hr), actin filaments of the ectoplasmic specialization (ES) in area of Sertoli cell barrier were disrupted, the accumulation of amorphous material and fragmented small vesicles of SER were observed in cytoplasm of Sertoli cell. The above changes appeared to be dosage and duration dependent; (2)In the seminiferous tubules of animals receiving CE (1000-2000 ?mol/L testis, 6-14 hr) plus fixation with 10% hypertonic dextrose solutions, usually the germ cells shrinkage and exaggeration of intercellular spaces withint he basal as well asthe adluminal compartments were observed. The tight junction between Sertoli cells were also appeared to be separated by hypertonic action of dextros; (3) The results of tracing experiments showed that lanthanums as tracer could be seen to pass through the Sertoli-Sertoli cell junction of the barrier and enter into the adluminal compartment, the tracer that surrounding the spermatocytes and round spermatids were discernible readily. The above results suggest that cytochalsin E disturbed actin filaments of Sertoli ectoplasmic specialization thus altered the functional integrity of the Sertoli cell barrier. The relationship between the actin filaments and Sertoli cell barrier was discussed.