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Cortactin is a component of tubulobulbar complexes in Sertoli cells
Author(s) -
Vogl A. Wayne,
Vaid Kuljeet S.,
Young J'Nelle S.,
RahmaniAmin Parham
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a224
Subject(s) - cortactin , microbiology and biotechnology , sertoli cell , podosome , epithelium , dynamin , chemistry , endocytosis , biology , cytoskeleton , cell , spermatogenesis , biochemistry , endocrinology , genetics
Tubulobulbar complexes (TCs) are double membrane tubular structures that project into Sertoli cells from sites of intercellular attachment. Large double membrane vesicles bud from the ends of the complexes and are degraded by Sertoli cells. TCs have been proposed to be part of the mechanism by which intercellular junctions are disassembled during sperm release and during the movement of spermatocytes from basal to adluminal compartments of the seminiferous epithelium. TCs resemble podosomes that develop at sites of cell attachment to substrate in other systems. The morphogenesis of podosomes is thought to be regulated by the interaction of the Arp2/3 complex, dynamin and cortactin. Although we previously have determined that the Arp2/3 complex and dynamin 3 are present at TCs, it is not known if cortactin also occurs at the sites. To determine whether or not cortactin is present at TCs we immunolabelled fixed frozen sections and fixed fragments of seminiferous epithelium with an antibody to cortactin. Intense labeling of TCs was present in sections and in epithelial fragments. Weak staining of ectoplasmic specializations also was detected. Controls were negative and immunoblots of testis and seminferous epithelium indicated that the antibody was specific. We conclude that cortactin is a component of TCs and therefore is a candidate regulator of TC morphogenesis.