The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls?
Genetically induced loss of the gap-junction protein Connexin 43 (Cx43) in murine Sertoli cells leads to an arrest of spermatogenesis at the level of spermatogonia, highly vacuolated tubules, and intratubular cell clusters. Transmission electron microscopy as well as 3D-reconstruction of Sertoli cel...
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321292 |
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| author | Mareike Ueffing Marion Langeheine Sarah Gniesmer Kristina Rode Sarah Staggenborg Gudrun Wirth Kerstin Rohn Rüdiger Koch Ines Blume Christiane Pfarrer Christoph Wrede Ralph Brehm |
| author_facet | Mareike Ueffing Marion Langeheine Sarah Gniesmer Kristina Rode Sarah Staggenborg Gudrun Wirth Kerstin Rohn Rüdiger Koch Ines Blume Christiane Pfarrer Christoph Wrede Ralph Brehm |
| author_sort | Mareike Ueffing |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Genetically induced loss of the gap-junction protein Connexin 43 (Cx43) in murine Sertoli cells leads to an arrest of spermatogenesis at the level of spermatogonia, highly vacuolated tubules, and intratubular cell clusters. Transmission electron microscopy as well as 3D-reconstruction of Sertoli cells based on serial block-face scanning electron microscopy imaging revealed severe cell shape changes in Cx43 deficient Sertoli cells. Since the cytoskeleton is important for the transport of germ cells within the seminiferous epithelium and for keeping the cell shape, the study at hand aimed to reveal correlations of Cx43 loss and changes of cytoskeletal components and their spatial organization in the seminiferous epithelium. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, conventional transmission electron microcopy and immunogold labeling indicated alterations in microtubule and actin filament distribution patterns in Cx43 deficient Sertoli cells compared to wildtype mice. Firstly, microtubules seemed to be misoriented in mutant Sertoli cells. Secondly, the actin filament based basal ectoplasmic specializations were increased in spatial extension, but the apical ectoplasmic specialization was missing. Lastly, Sertoli cells of both genotypes immunostained positive for vimentin, the prevalent intermediate filament of Sertoli cells, but not for keratins, markers for Sertoli cell immaturity or dedifferentiation. In conclusion, Cx43 deficiency in Sertoli cells correlates not only with severe cell shape alterations but also with changes in microtubule and actin filament distribution patterns, while intermediate filament expression seems to be only negligibly influenced. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b5d11969b87f49a2b09136d6bbb44fd6 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| spelling | doaj-art-b5d11969b87f49a2b09136d6bbb44fd62025-08-20T02:19:37ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01204e032129210.1371/journal.pone.0321292The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls?Mareike UeffingMarion LangeheineSarah GniesmerKristina RodeSarah StaggenborgGudrun WirthKerstin RohnRüdiger KochInes BlumeChristiane PfarrerChristoph WredeRalph BrehmGenetically induced loss of the gap-junction protein Connexin 43 (Cx43) in murine Sertoli cells leads to an arrest of spermatogenesis at the level of spermatogonia, highly vacuolated tubules, and intratubular cell clusters. Transmission electron microscopy as well as 3D-reconstruction of Sertoli cells based on serial block-face scanning electron microscopy imaging revealed severe cell shape changes in Cx43 deficient Sertoli cells. Since the cytoskeleton is important for the transport of germ cells within the seminiferous epithelium and for keeping the cell shape, the study at hand aimed to reveal correlations of Cx43 loss and changes of cytoskeletal components and their spatial organization in the seminiferous epithelium. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, conventional transmission electron microcopy and immunogold labeling indicated alterations in microtubule and actin filament distribution patterns in Cx43 deficient Sertoli cells compared to wildtype mice. Firstly, microtubules seemed to be misoriented in mutant Sertoli cells. Secondly, the actin filament based basal ectoplasmic specializations were increased in spatial extension, but the apical ectoplasmic specialization was missing. Lastly, Sertoli cells of both genotypes immunostained positive for vimentin, the prevalent intermediate filament of Sertoli cells, but not for keratins, markers for Sertoli cell immaturity or dedifferentiation. In conclusion, Cx43 deficiency in Sertoli cells correlates not only with severe cell shape alterations but also with changes in microtubule and actin filament distribution patterns, while intermediate filament expression seems to be only negligibly influenced.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321292 |
| spellingShingle | Mareike Ueffing Marion Langeheine Sarah Gniesmer Kristina Rode Sarah Staggenborg Gudrun Wirth Kerstin Rohn Rüdiger Koch Ines Blume Christiane Pfarrer Christoph Wrede Ralph Brehm The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls? PLoS ONE |
| title | The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls? |
| title_full | The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls? |
| title_fullStr | The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls? |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls? |
| title_short | The impact of Connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine Sertoli cells: A house with ramshackle walls? |
| title_sort | impact of connexin 43 deficiency on the cell shape and cytoskeleton of murine sertoli cells a house with ramshackle walls |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0321292 |
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