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Authors: Mirja Nurmio, Jenny Kallio, Marion Adam, Artur Mayerhofer, Jorma Toppari and Kirsi Jahnukainen

Mirja Nurmio

Corresponding author: mirja.nurmio@utu.fi
Department of Physiology; University of Turku; Turku, Finland; Department of Pediatrics; University of Turku; Turku, Finland
These authors contributed equally to this work.

Jenny Kallio

Department of Physiology; University of Turku; Turku, Finland; Turku Centre for Disease Modeling; University of Turku; Turku, Finland
These authors contributed equally to this work.

Marion Adam

Anatomy and Cell Biology; Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich; Munich, Germany

Artur Mayerhofer

Anatomy and Cell Biology; Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich; Munich, Germany

Jorma Toppari

Department of Physiology; University of Turku; Turku, Finland; Department of Pediatrics; University of Turku; Turku, Finland

Kirsi Jahnukainen

Pediatric Endocrinology Unit; Karolinska Institute and University Hospital; Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation; Children’s Hospital; University of Helsinki and Helsinkin University Central Hospital; Helsinki, Finland

Abstract:
FSH stimulates testicular growth by increasing Sertoli cell proliferation and elongation of seminiferous cords. Little is known about the peritubular myoid cells in testicular development. In order to investigate the role of peritubular myoid cells in early testicular growth in rodents, two traditional models to induce testicular growth were used: FSH treatment and hemicastration. In order to affect proliferation of peritubular myoid cells, both treatments were combined with imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In addition, effects of imatinib on human testicular peritubular cell proliferation were investigated. Testicular weight, diameter and length of seminiferous cords, numbers of germ, Sertoli and BrdU-positive cells and FSH-levels were measured. FSH treatment and hemicastration increased length of the seminiferous cords and testicular weight by increasing first the early proliferation of peritubular myoid cells and later also the proliferation of the Sertoli cells. Imatinib blocked the FSH and hemicastration -induced testicular hypertrophy and decreased the proliferation of PDGF-stimulated human testicular peritubular cells in vitro. Present results provide new evidence that peritubular myoid cells have an important role in postnatal testicular growth.

Received: February 9, 2012; Accepted: March 19, 2012

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