INFLUENCE OF THE BIOMATRIX ON THE RESPONSE OF SERTOLI CELLS TO FSH

Sertoli cell preparations isolated from 15-day-old Wistar rats were cu ltured on two different substrates, i.e., plastic and a biomatrix isol ated from seminiferous tubules of rat testis. Sertoli cells cultured o n a biomatrix acquired a phenotype and morphology more characteristic of in vivo differentiated cells. In order to determine the influence o f a biomatrix on the response of Sertoli cells to FSH, on the 7th day of culture, untreated cells, or cells pretreated for 12 h with FSH (1 mu g/ml), were incubated with [U-C-14] leucine or [2-H-3] mannose. Cel ls cultured on the biomatrix showed higher [U-C-14] leucine and [2-H-3 ] mannose incorporation into proteins and glycoproteins. FSH increased these activities in cells cultured on both substrates, although its s timulating effect was higher on cells cultured on the biomatrix. These results demonstrate that the biomatrix increases protein and glycopro tein synthesis and secretion, and also influences the response of Sert oli cells to FSH.