Oestrogen in fluid transport in efferent ducts of the male reproductive tract.
Oestrogen in fluid transport in efferent ducts of the male reproductive tract.
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DOI：
10.1530/ror.0.0050084
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发表时间：
2000-05
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
R. Hess
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
R. Hess
本文综述了雌激素和雌激素受体在男性生殖系统中的重要性，特别关注新发现的雌激素在睾丸输出小管中调节液体重吸收的作用。雌激素合成的早期研究表明，在成年睾丸中，Leydig和Sertoli细胞是产生这种类固醇的唯一重要细胞。然而，最近的研究表明，生殖细胞和精子也含有芳香化酶并产生雌激素。生殖细胞合成雌激素的观察促成了一个新的假说，即雄性生殖道腔内的雌激素靶向输出小管和附睾的上皮衬里。核雌激素受体在雄性生殖道中的位置也被研究，并且已经发现雌激素受体α在睾丸的输出小管中比在雄性或雌性的任何其他组织中更丰富。在所有物种的研究，到目前为止，雌激素受体α已被发现是丰富的传出小管。传出小管的结构和功能被考虑在内，因为这些小管负责近90%的管腔睾丸网液体的重吸收。因此，这是合乎逻辑的假设，雌激素受体发挥的作用，在输出小管的液体重吸收的调节。雌激素受体α基因敲除小鼠用于帮助确定受体在雄性中的作用。在该动物模型中，传出小管从重吸收上皮显著改变为缺乏溶酶体和内吞细胞器的鳞状上皮。虽然雌激素和雄激素在调节体液重吸收中的作用是有争议的，仍然有待解决，现在已经确定，男性雌激素受体功能的丧失会干扰传出小管的再吸收功能，而传出小管的再吸收功能是生育所必需的。未来的研究将集中在男性生殖道中雌激素调节水和离子运动的生化和生理机制。
This review focuses on the importance of oestrogen and oestrogen receptors in the male reproductive system, with a special interest in the newly discovered role of oestrogen in the regulation of fluid reabsorption in the efferent ductules of the testis. Early work on oestrogen synthesis indicated that Leydig and Sertoli cells were the only important cells in the production of this steroid in the adult testis. However, more recent work has shown that germ cells and spermatozoa also contain aromatase and produce oestrogen. The observation that germ cells synthesize oestrogen contributed to a new hypothesis that oestrogen in the lumen of the male reproductive tract targets the epithelial lining of efferent ductules and the epididymis. The location of nuclear oestrogen receptors in the male reproductive tract has also been investigated and it has been found that oestrogen receptor alpha is more abundant in the efferent ductules of the testis than in any other tissue of the male or female. In all species examined to date, oestrogen receptor alpha has been found to be abundant in the efferent ductules. The structure and function of the efferent ductules are taken into account as these tubules are responsible for the reabsorption of almost 90% of the luminal rete testis fluid. Thus, it was logical to hypothesize that oestrogen receptors play a role in the regulation of fluid reabsorption in efferent ductules. The oestrogen receptor alpha knockout mouse was used to help define this role of the receptor in males. In this animal model, the efferent ductules are altered markedly from a reabsorptive epithelium to a squamous epithelium devoid of lysosomes and endocytotic organelles. Although the separate roles for oestrogens and androgens in the regulation of fluid reabsorption are controversial and remain to be resolved, it is now established that loss of oestrogen receptor function in males interferes with the resorptive function of efferent ductules, a function that is essential for fertility. Future studies will focus on the biochemical and physiological mechanisms involved in the regulation of water and ion movement by oestrogen in the male reproductive tract.