The mammalian testis belongs among a small number of tissues that can unambiguously be called “immunologically privileged,” as demonstrated by the ability to tolerate not only testicular autoantigens but also alloand xenoantigens experimentally located within the testis environment. The mechanisms underlying this privilege remain poorly understood compared with more intensively studied models o...

BACKGROUND Infertility is a known side-effect of oncotherapy in cancer survivors, and often compromises the quality of life. The present study was undertaken to detect very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) in testicular biopsies from young adult survivors of childhood cancer who had azoospermia. VSELs have been earlier reported in human and mouse testes. They resist busulphan treatment i...

We determined the functional role of the Sertoli cell glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in vivo using a transgenic Cre-loxP approach to conditionally disrupt GR expression. Sertoli cell GR knockout (SCGRKO) was shown by absent Sertoli cell-specific GR immunolocalization and reduced levels of glucocorticoid-responsive Stc1 and Tsc22d3 mRNA in SCGRKO relative to control testes. Adult SCGRKO testes exh...

BACKGROUND Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling is thought to play diverse roles in the male reproductive system. However, its role in testicular cells for spermatogenesis and fertility remains unclear. METHODS In this study, the expression and localization of Fgfr 1 (FGF Receptor) and Fgfr 2 in the postnatal mouse testes were examined by RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry....

Clusterin expression has a positive correlation with the occurrence and progression of various types of tumors from different genetic backgrounds. Cluster in overexpression may protect tumor cells from apoptosis and damage caused by autoimmunity or anti-tumor therapy. Using immunohistochemisty, one previous study showed that clusterin protein expression is down-regulated in human testicular sem...

PURPOSE Carcinoids are neuroendocrine tumors and most frequently occur within tissues derived from the embryonic gut. These tumors can occur in any organ site but are rare in the testis. The cell type giving rise to testicular carcinoid is unknown. We hypothesized that testicular carcinoid may have a germ cell origin. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We describe our analysis of protein and genetic markers...

Sertoli cells synthesize and secrete a transferrin-like protein (testicular transferrin) [Skinner & Griswold (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 1923-1925]. The purpose of the present study was to purify and characterize testicular transferrin and to compare it with serum transferrin. Testicular transferrin was obtained from the medium of cultured rat Sertoli cells, whereas serum transferrin was obtaine...

Between June 85 and December 87, 69 testicular biopsies were submitted for histopathological examination during investigation of infertility; ten (14%) patients had a Sertoli cell only syndrome. The history, clinical features, and hormonal profiles were analyzed in an attempt to categorize these patients on aetiological basis. Two followed treatment of malignancy--one by radiation for testicula...

The testicular effects produced by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in the rat, characterized by a decrease in the relative organ weight and histological changes in the seminiferous tubules, can also be produced by di-n-butyl, di-n-pentyl and di-n-hexyl phthalates. The corresponding monoesters of these compounds, formed in vivo as a result of the action of nonspecific esterases in the intestin...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the prepubertal prevalence of intratubular germ cell neoplasia of the unclassified type (ITGCNU) and its significance as a predictor of testicular cancer and to evaluate the effect of early orchiopexy (at younger than 2 years of age) on subsequent fertility of patients with bilateral cryptorchidism. METHODS Testicular biopsies (n = 660) from 440 prepubertal patients ...