Ffg. Rommerts et al., APPLICATION OF CONFOCAL LASER-SCANNING MI CROSCOPY FOR STUDYING THE EFFECT OF EGF ON THE SPERMATIC EPITHELIUM, Contraception fertilite sexualite, 22(10), 1994, pp. 618-622
Effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on pH transients in aggregate
s of Sertoli cells and germinal cells have been investigated with conf
ocal microscopy using a fluorescent pH sensitive indicator. In some Se
rtoli cells EGF caused a rapid rise in the pH whereas other Sertoli ce
lls did not respond to EGF. Some Sertoli cells showed a delayed respon
se which coincidated with a similar pH change in neighbouring germinal
cells. Since isolated germinal cells never showed a pH response after
exposure to EGF, we have concluded that some Sertoli cells may commun
icate with germinal cells via gap junctions.