Last edited: 9/9/2021

1. SPERMATOGENESIS
Male Reproductive System | Spermatogenesis Medical Editor: Ilia-Presiyan Georgiev

The junctions separate the ST into two compartments

OUTLINE
o Basal compartment
I) BRAIN-TESTICULAR AXIS  Towards the basal lamina
II) SPERMATOGENESIS o Adlumenal compartment
III) HORMONES  Towards the lumen
IV) FEEDBACK These junctions between the Sertoli cells form a barrier –
V) REVIEW QUESTIONS the blood-testes barrier
VI) REFRENCES
o Prevents the sperm and its antigens to leak into the
bloodstream

I) BRAIN-TESTICULAR AXIS

(A) BRAIN
(1) The hypothalamus
is the master endocrine regulator
Controls the pituitary gland
Part of the diencephalon
Consists of several grey matter nuclei.
o Preoptic nucleus (PON)
o Arcuate nucleus (AN), et al
(2) The Preoptic and Arcuate nuclei secrete GnRH Figure 2 Testes.

Gonadotropin releasing hormone

GnRH go down through the hypophyseal portal system II) SPERMATOGENESIS
o A blood vessel connection between the capillary beds
of the hypothalamus and the anterior hypophysis (1) Sperm production
It binds to specific receptors located on specific cells – starts during puberty
gonadotropes The immune system (T-cells) recognizing the self-
o Located in the anterior hypophysis antigens of all cells occurs before puberty
It triggers the production of Luteinizing hormone (LH) and o In the thymus
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) The immune system doesn’t recognize the antigens of the
sperm
Any sperm antigens that leak into the blood activate the
immune system
o Attack the testes.
(2) In the basal compartment
there are cells – Spermatogonia (sing.
Spermatogonium)
o Diploid stem cells (2n)
 Has 46 chromosomes
 23 paternal and 23 maternal
It splits into two identical 2n cells (A cell and B cell)
o Via mitosis
One of them (A cell) remains as a spermatogonium
Figure 1 Hypothalamus.
o Continues replicating.
(B) TESTES The other (B cell) moves to the adlumenal compartment
(1) The seminiferous tubules (ST) o The spermatogonia secrete different chemicals that
cause the Sertoli cells to open the tight junctions
make up parenchyma the testes
Spermatogenesis (sperm production) occurs in them (3) In the adlumenal compartment
Made up primarily of Sertoli cells the cell is no longer considered a B cell but a primary
o A.k.a. sustentacular cells, nurse cells spermatocyte
(2) Between the Sertoli cells It splits into two identical secondary spermatocytes
o Haploid cells (n)
there are proteins that adhere them together o Via meiosis I
Tight junctions
Each secondary spermatocytes divides into two identical
o Claudins
spermatids
o Occludins
o Haploid cells (n)
Adherent junctions o Via meiosis II
o Cadherins

Spermatogenesis ENDOCRINE PHYSIOLOGY: Note #1. 1 of 3

In each cell there are the two chromosomes called dyads
o Maternal and paternal
During division they come together and fuse
o The fused dyads are called a tetrad
o They do crossing over
 A.k.a. recombination, synapses
 Exchanges genetic material between the dyads
During mitosis they are separated at the centromere
o One chromosome of each is going in daughter cells
In meiosis I a whole dyad goes in each daughter cell
Figure 5 Luteinizing hormone.
In meiosis II each dyad is divided into 2 chromosomes
o One chromosome goes in each daughter cell (2) The follicle stimulating hormone
The end result of meiosis is 4 haploid cells activates receptors on the membrane of the Sertoli cells
(4) The final process of The receptors send signals to the nucleus
The nucleus the synthesizes a specific protein –
transformation from spermatid to spermatozoa is called Androgen bonding protein (ABP)
spermiogenesis o It is then secreted into the lumen
o Spermatozoa are more well-formed sperm cells
ABP makes testosterone less lipophilic
The mature sperm cells have three well defined parts o More water-soluble
o Head o More concentrated
 The nucleus - contains the DNA o Remains longer in the lumen of the ST to stimulate
 The acrosome - contains hydrolytic enzymes that every process of the spermatogenesis.
eat through specific parts of the egg
o Mid piece
 Contains the mitochondria
 Make ATP out of the different nutrients provided
by the Sertoli cells
o Tail - flagella (9+1 arrangement)
 Each is made up of microtubules and a basal body

Figure 3 Sperm maturation.

The Sertoli cells also secrete a lot of nutrients and
metabolic products for the sperm cells Figure 6 Follicle stimulating hormone.
o Will be used during the travel to the epididymis and
maturation
The whole process starting from primary spermatocyte to IV) FEEDBACK
spermatozoa is called spermatogenesis
(1) High testosterone levels
travel through the bloodstream and exert negative
feedback on the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary
o ↓ GnRH is produced
o ↓ LH is produced
o ↓ testosterone is produced
(2) High sperm level
trigger sensors on the Sertoli cells to send a signal to
the nucleus
The nucleus produces a hormone – Inhibin and secretes
into the bloodstream
Figure 4 Spermatogenesis. Inhibin goes to the brain and exerts a negative feedback
on the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary gland
III) HORMONES
o ↓ GnRH is produced
NB! The whole process of spermatogenesis requires two o ↓ FSH is produced
substances – testosterone and ABP. o ↓ ABP is produced
o Testosterone won’t be concentrated enough
(1) The luteinizing hormone o Spermatogenesis will decrease
activates receptors on the membrane of the Leydig cells
o A.k.a interstitial cells
o Located in the interstitial tissue
The receptors send signals to the nucleus
The nucleus produces specific enzyme
o Catalyzes the conversion of cholesterol all the way to
testosterone
Testosterone then goes to
o the seminiferous ducts and stimulates
spermatogenesis Figure 7 Feedback.
o the bloodstream and affects other tissues
Testosterone is very lipophilic
o Not very soluble in water
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 V) REVIEW QUESTIONS

Which are the parts of the brain-testicular axis?

a. Hypothalamus and testes
b. Hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and testes
c. Hypothalamus, posterior pituitary and testes
d. Hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, posterior pituitary
and testes

Which hormone is secreted by the hypothalamus?

a. GnRH
b. LH
c. FSH
d. Testosterone

Which cells make up the seminiferous tubules?

a. Gonadotropes
b. Leydig cells
c. Sertolli cells
d. Spermatogonia

How many divisions undergo spermatogonia until

they become spermatids?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

In which part of the spermatozoa is the acrosome

located?
a. Nucleus
b. Head
c. Mid piece
d. Tail

Which cells produce nutrients for the sperm?

a. Gonadotropes
b. Spermatocytes
c. Leydig cells
d. Sertolli cells

Which cells produce testosterone?

a. Gonadotropes
b. Spermatocytes
c. Leydig cells
d. Sertolli cells

Which cells produce ABP?

a. Gonadotropes
b. Spermatocytes
c. Leydig cells
d. Sertolli cells

Which structure receives negative feedback from

high testosterone levels?
a. Hypothalamus and anterior pituitary
b. Hypothalamus
c. Anterior pituitary
d. Sertolli cells

Which structure detects high sperm production

rates?
a. Hypothalamus and anterior pituitary
b. Hypothalamus
c. Anterior pituitary
d. Sertolli cells

CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

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