Chapter 7 - Sertoli Cell function and Protein Secretion

Abstract

This chapter provides an insight into the recent progress in understanding the transcriptome of the Sertoli cells via conventional molecular techniques and through gene array analysis. The expression of many genes in the Sertoli cells is regulated by developmental factors and specific endocrine and paracrine factors. There are four major categories of gene products, namely, transport or bioprotective proteins, proteases and protease inhibitors, membrane glycoproteins, and growth factors and paracrine factors. Sertoli cells also synthesize and secrete many different proteases and inhibitors, and one of the functions ascribed to this class of proteins involves the extensive tissue remodeling that occurs when tight junctions must be traversed or when spermatozoa are released from the seminiferous epithelium. Gene ontology analysis is a technique used to group genes expressed in a sample, in terms of their biological process, location in the cell, or function. The analysis of the 2750 genes expressed by cultured rat Sertoli cells provides valuable information about the biological process and molecular function of the cell. This information can be used to calculate a Z-score that indicates whether the specific Gene Ontology (GO) term occurs more or less frequently than expected in the gene list.