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BOR - Papers in Press, published online ahead of print September 17, 2008.
Biol Reprod 2008, 10.1095/biolreprod.108.070623
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BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION 80, 162–174 (2009)
DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.108.070623
© 2009 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Tubulobulbar Complexes Are Intercellular Podosome-Like Structures That Internalize Intact Intercellular Junctions During Epithelial Remodeling Events in the Rat Testis1

J'Nelle S. Young 3, Julian A. Guttman 4, Kuljeet S. Vaid 3, and A. Wayne Vogl 2 3

Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences,3 Faculty of Medicine, Life Sciences Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3 Department of Biological Sciences,4 Simon Fraser University, Shrum Science Centre, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6

ABSTRACT

Tubulobulbar complexes are actin-related double-membrane projections that resemble podosomes in other systems and form at intercellular junctions in the seminiferous epithelium of the mammalian testis. They are proposed to internalize intact junctions during sperm release and during the translocation of spermatocytes through basal junction complexes between neighboring Sertoli cells. In this study we probe apical tubulobulbar complexes in fixed epithelial fragments and fixed frozen sections of rat and mouse testes for junction molecules reported to be present at apical sites of attachment (ectoplasmic specializations) between Sertoli cells and spermatids. The adhesion molecules nectin 2 (PVRL2), nectin 3 (PVRL3) and alpha 6 integrin (ITGA6) are present in the elongate parts of tubulobulbar complexes and concentrated at their distal ends. Tubulobulbar complexes contain cortactin (CTTN), a key component of podosomes, and vesicles at the distal ends of tubulobulbar complexes that contain junction molecules are related to early endosome antigen (EEA1). N-cadherin (CDH2), a protein reported to be present at ectoplasmic specializations, is not localized to these unique junctions or to tubulobulbar complexes but, rather, is primarily concentrated at desmosomes in basal regions of the epithelium. Our results are consistent with the conclusion that tubulobulbar complexes are podosome-like structures that are responsible for internalizing intact intercellular junctions during spermatogenesis.

intercellular junctions, podosomes, Sertoli cells, spermatogenesis, testis, tubulobulbar complexes

FOOTNOTES

1Supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada grant RGPIN 155397-08 to A.W.V.

Correspondence: 2A. Wayne Vogl, Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Life Sciences Centre, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z3. FAX: 604 822 2316; e-mail: vogl{at}interchange.ubc.ca






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Copyright © 2009 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction.