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Physiologie de la Barrière Sang-Testicule

The Physiology of the Blood-Testis Barrier

Andrologie volume 11, pages 15–20 (2001)Cite this article

Résumé

Des preuves de l’existence d’une barrière entre la lumière des tubes séminifères et le sang sont représentées par: la coloration inégale des testicules après injection de certains colorants, la distribution des substances radioactives dans le testicule, la composition des fluides du rete testis et de la lumière des tubes, la vitesse de pénétration de différentes substances dans ces fluides, et la présence de jonctions spécialisées entre les cellules de Sertoli qui bloquent la pénétration du lanthanum et d’autres marqueurs opaques aux électrons dans les tubules. Cette barrière se développe au moment de la puberté. Cependant, les cellules endothéliales du testicule ont des caractéristiques qui sont retrouvées dans les cellules endothéliales du cerveau qui forment la barrière sang-cerveau. Le tissue péritubulaire possède aussi un système spécifique pour le transport de l’urée, et ces deux tissus peuvent aussi réguler l’entrée des substances dans le testicule. La barrière reste effective dans certaines circonstances dans lesquelles la spermatogenèse est perturbée, mais la barrière est moins effective pendant la phase de régression testiculaire chez les espèces à reproduction saisonnière. Il existe aussi des traitements qui rompent la barrière en perturbant la spermatogenèse. Il faut que les spermatogonies injectées dans le rete passent à travers la barrière Sertolienne pour rétablir la spermatogenèse dans les testicules infertiles, mais les cellules leucémiques injectées dans le rete peuvent aussi passer de la lumière dans l’interstitium où une récidive de la maladie peut survenir.

Abstract

There is evidence for the existence of a barrier between the blood and the lumina of the seminiferous tubules, from the uneven coloration of the testis after injection of some dyes, from the distribution of some radioactive markers, from the composition of the fluids from the rete testis and the seminiferous tubules, from the rate of penetration of various substances into these fluids, and from the presence of specialized junctions between the Sertoli cells, which block the penetration of lanthanum and other electron-opaque markers into the tubules. This barrier develops only at the time of puberty. However, the endothelial cells in the testis share certain characteristics with the endothelial cells of the brain, which form the blood-brain barrier. Also, the peritubular tissue has a specific transport system for urea, and these two tissues may also regulate the entry of substances into the testis. The barrier remains effective in some circumstances where spermatogenesis is disrupted, but it is less effective outside the breeding season in seasonal breeders. There are also some treatments which break down the barrier and disrupt spermatogenesis. Spermatogonia injected into the rete must pass through the barrier to re-establish spermatogenesis in infertile testes, but leukaemic cells injected into the rete can also pass from the lumen of the tubules into the interstitium, where the disease then recurs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Suède

    B. P. Setchell

  2. Department of Anatomical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Australie

    B. P. Setchell

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Communication au XVIIème Congrès de la SALF, 7–8 décembre 2000, Bordeaux

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Setchell, B.P. Physiologie de la Barrière Sang-Testicule. Androl. 11, 15–20 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03034506

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Basic and Clinical Andrology

ISSN: 2051-4190