MORPHOLOGY

CHANGES OF SERTOLI
CELL IN YOUNG, ADULT
AND ELDERLY
BY
JEEVITRA GUNASEGARAN
1002005189

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CELL SRUCTURE OF SERTOLI CELL
THE ROLE OF SERTOLI CELL
MORPHOLOGY CHANGES OF SERTOLI
CELL IN YOUNG, ADULT AND ELDERLY
EFFECTS OF DECREASE SERTOLI CELL COUNT ON
SPERMATOGENESIS
CONCLUSION
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INTRODUCTION
Aging remains one of the biggest mysteries of
medical science. Humans age because during their
biological

evolution,

reproduction.

Male

nature

has

relied

more

on

fertility

and

the

process

of

spermatogenesis are dependent upon the somatic

Sertoli cells. Sertoli cells are the somatic cells of the
testis that are essential for testis formation and
spermatogenesis.

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CELL STRUCTURE OF
SERTOLI CELL
located within the seminiferous tubules
far less numerous than the spermatogenic cells
and are evenly distributed
shape is highly irregular columnar
nuclues is ovoid, large and lightly stained and
contains a large nucleolus
A fold in the nuclear membrane is characteristic
for sertoli cell
interconnected by tight junctions
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Figure1. Seminiferous tubule of the bull as viewed by bright field microscopy

in 0.5-_m Epon sections. Myoid cells (MC) mark the outer limits of the tubule
and Sertoli cells containing nuclei of varied shape (SC) provide structural
support of spermatogenesis. Patches of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)
and the Golgi apparatus (GA; that giving rise to the acrosome of spermatids)
are observable. Type A spermatogonia (A), primary spermatocyte (P), a
remaining secondary spermatocyte (SS), Sa spermatids (Sa) and Sd1
spermatids (Sd1) characterize this Stage V seminiferous tubule.

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THE ROLL OF SERTOLI

CELL
play a major role in regulation of spermatogenesis and
altering rates of spermatozoa produced
called the "mother" or "nurse" cell
protection of the developing germ cells, secretion of
factors that nurture germ cells and orchestration of
temporal and spatial control of apoptosis, mitosis and
meiosis during the complex process of spermatogenesis
Act as phagocytes
Sertoli cells form the tight junction
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MORPHOLOGY CHANGES
OF SERTOLI CELL IN
YOUNG, ADULT AND
ELDERLY
Sertoli cell is in morphological and functional contact

with a defined number of sperm

In men we observe about 10 germ cells or 1.5
spermatozoa per each Sertoli cell
number of Sertoli cells in men increases until the
15th year of life
Sertoli cell proliferation is activated when exposed to
gonadotropin activity

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The division of Sertoli cells ends when the first

germ cells undergo meiotic division
Decrease of Sertoli cell numbers leads to a
reduction of testicular volume and sperm
production which occurs in elderly
The Sertoli cells of the testes secrete antiMullerian hormone(AMH) and inhibin B (InhB).
The hormonal output of Sertoli cells persists in
the very old, but with characteristics that differ on
average from younger men
A small minority of men had minimum levels of
both AMH and InhB, indicating a near complete
cessation of their Sertoli cell output

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 A dysynchrony between LH and testosterone

occurs in elderly men
Consequently, alteration of the gonadal-pituitary
axis important for age-related changes in Sertoli
cell hormones
FSH regulates InhB and as AMH is putatively
under the control of GnRH
levels of InhB were lower in older men, with high
statistical significance
Low AMH in younger adults has also been
associated with metabolic syndrome
plasma levels of Sertoli hormones decline with
aging, but with high variability
There are associations between AMH, InhB and
the ratio of AMH/InhB to the health status of
elderly men

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EFFECTS OF DECREASE SERTOLI CELL

COUNT ON SPERMATOGENESIS
the total Sertoli cell number per testis is very
important in determining the total daily sperm
production per testis
In elderly, sertoli cell count will be decrease, and
therefore causes abnormality in spermatogenesis
So, there is insufficiency to produce normal sperm count
Testosterone notably to stimulate the proliferation
of Sertoli cells
Testosterone deficiency that occurs in association
with
advancing
age
is
termed
late-onset
hypogonadism

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CONCLUSION
Sertoli cells are highly specialized and essential for
maintenance

of

testicular

homeostasis

and

male

reproductive viability. The Sertoli cells play a major role

in regulation of spermatogenesis and altering rates of
spermatozoa produced. The decrease of Sertoli cell
numbers such as that produced by an antimitotic
substance leads to a reduction of testicular volume and
sperm production which occurs in elderly. In elderly,
sertoli cell count will be decrease, and therefore causes
abnormality in spermatogenesis. As a result, there is
insufficiency to produce normal sperm count.

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THANK
YOU
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