Phosphoproteins and regulation of steroidogenesis in rat tumour Leydig cells

The testis in--m.an and in general in mammals has two very important functions, i.e. the production of spermatozoa, necessary for sexual reproduction, and the production of male steroid hormones, the androgens, necessary for the development and maintenance of spermatogenesis and primary and secundary sex characteristics. The production of spermatozoa occurs in a specialized compartment within the testis, viz. the seminiferous tubule (Fig. 1.1). Starting from primordial germ cells, spermatozoa are formed through the intermediate formation of spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids. All the spermatogenic cell types are surrounded by the Sertoli cell which is present in the outer region of the seminiferous tubule. The Sertoli Cell more or less guides the whole process of spermatogenesis and is under hormonal regulation of follitropin and androgens. Hypophysectomy, which results in deprivation of hormones, causes drastic disturbances in spermatogenesis, i.e. a large reduction in number and different types of spermatogenic cells