The co-culture of Sertoli cells and germ cells: Applications in toxicology

Spermatogenesis is a very complex process by which male germ cells differen tiate into mature spermatozoa. In this regard, the local regulation of sper matogenesis can be considered as a particular cellular achievement. This so phisticated communication network has its weak points, such that the dysfun ctionment of one cell type propagates to ail other cell types as a cascade. This explains the particular vulnerability of the testis to environmental factors, and more specifically drugs and xenobiotics, and the general diffi culty encountered by the toxicologist in identifying the testicular cell ta rget of a given toxicant and hence its precise mode of action. More or less complex culture systems of isolated testicular cells have been developed o ver the past decades which represent very useful tools for the toxicologist . Among the different testicular cell types, Sertoli and Ley-dig calls, hav e been the ones most usually used for the in vitro analysis of toxic compou nds. While Sertoli cells are used ill vitro for mechanistic toxicology stud ies, the extreme fragility of germ cells prevents their culture for that pu rpose. However. Sertoli and germ cells can be cultured together for short p eriods of time. This review presents the different in vitro testicular syst ems at disposal and provides examples of mechanistic studies undertaken to verify and deepen ill vivo observations on the targets to reproductive toxi cants. (C) Published by 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.