title: Phagocytosis by the murine testicular TM4 Sertoli cell line in culture.
abstract: To investigate phagocytosis, an assay enabling flow cytometric analysis of single cells having internalized fluorescent carboxyl microspheres was employed. Greater than 80% of murine testicular Sertoli line (TM4) cells were found to phagocytose one or more microspheres within six hours and electron microscopy confirmed carboxyl microsphere internalization. This level was equivalent to that of a macrophage-like cell line and much greater than the levels of testicular Leydig (TM3) cells. Reducing extracellular calcium or using a calcium channel blocker profoundly inhibited phagocytosis suggesting that phagocytosis by Sertoli cells requires extracellular Ca++. Although follicular stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone had no significant effects on Sertoli cell phagocytosis, insulin, epidermal growth factor, and hydrocortisone enhanced activity. In contrast, beta-endorphin and 8-bromoadenosine-cyclic monophosphate had an inhibitory effect. In contrast to augmenting macrophage phagocytosis, 1,25-(OH)2D3, interferon-gamma, prostaglandin E2, and lipopolysaccharides, had no apparent effect on that by Sertoli cells. Additionally, neither C3bi receptors (Mac-1 antigen) nor FcRII could be detected on Sertoli cells. In total, the findings demonstrated that the murine Sertoli line exhibits potent phagocytic function and suggest the regulation of this activity may differ from that in "professional" phagocytic cells.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology 33101.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tokuda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D003179:Complement C3b; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005453:Fluorescence; D006728:Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008863:Microspheres; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000032:analysis; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000032:analysis; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate; D003179:Complement C3b; D009543:Nifedipine; D015232:Dinoprostone; D002118:Calcium