Blood–testis barrier

The blood–testis barrier is a physical barrier between the blood vessels and the seminiferous tubules of the animal testes. The name "blood-testis barrier" is misleading as it is not a blood-organ barrier in a strict sense, but is formed between Sertoli cells of the seminiferous tubule and isolates the further developed stages of germ cells from the blood. A more correct term is the Sertoli cell barrier (SCB).

Structure

The walls of seminiferous tubules are lined with primitive germ layer cells and by

The presence of the SCB allows Sertoli cells to control the adluminal environment in which germ cells (spermatocytes, spermatids and sperm) develop by influencing the chemical composition of the luminal fluid. The barrier also prevents passage of cytotoxic agents (bodies or substances that are toxic to cells) into the seminiferous tubules.

The fluid in the lumen of seminiferous tubules is quite different from plasma; it contains very little protein and glucose but is rich in androgens, estrogens, potassium, inositol and glutamic and

The barrier also protects the germ cells from blood-borne noxious agents,[1] prevents antigenic products of germ cell maturation from entering the circulation and generating an

• Blood–air barrier – Membrane separating alveolar air from blood in lung capillaries
• Blood–brain barrier – Semipermeable capillary border that allows selective passage of blood constituents into the brain
• Blood–ocular barrier – Physical barrier between the local blood vessels and most parts of the eye itself
• Blood–retinal barrier – Part of the blood–ocular barrier that prevents certain substances from entering the retina
• Blood–saliva barrier – Semipermeable biological barrier
• Blood–thymus barrier – Barrier formed by the continuous blood capillaries in the thymic cortex
• Spermatogenesis – Production of sperm

References