Chapter 20 - Sertoli Cell Toxicants

Abstract

This chapter discusses toxicants that specifically target the Sertoli cell. The term toxicant encompasses any toxic agent of natural, biological, or synthetic origin. The accurate designation of the Sertoli cell as the target of a testicular toxicant depends on the quantity and quality of available information. Theoretically, any testicular toxicant may produce subtle alterations in germ cell function that trigger secondary manifestations of Sertoli cell dysfunction as the earliest observed sign of testicular injury. Such an unrecognized germ cell toxicant is considered a Sertoli cell toxicant until the knowledge base is improved by further experimentation. Alternatively, any testicular toxicant producing subtle, undetected alterations in Sertoli cell function followed by germ cell abnormalities as the earliest sign of testicular injury is incorrectly classified as a germ cell toxicant. The frequency of incorrect assignment of toxicant to target cell is unknown; however, given the central role of the Sertoli cell in germ cell maintenance, one would predict that cryptic Sertoli cell toxicants are more often misidentified as germ cell toxicants than vice versa.