title: Biologically active kit ligand growth factor is produced by mouse Sertoli cells and is defective in SId mutant mice.
abstract: In order to define the role of Kit ligand (KL) growth factor encoded at the mouse steel (SI) locus in spermatogenesis, we have examined its production in Sertoli cells. As a measure KL growth factor bioactivity, the ability to support proliferation and maintenance of mast cells was used in co-culture with primary mouse Sertoli cells. On the sertoli cells derived from +/+ and Wv/Wv mice, +/+ mast cells proliferated and were supported for more than 2 weeks, but not W/Wv mast cells. In contrast, Sertoli cells from SId/SId mice could not support +/+ mast cell proliferation under similar conditions. The supportive effect required close-range interaction of Sertoli cells with cultured mast cells. These results indicate that Sertoli cells derived from +/+ and Wv/Wv but not SId/SId mutant mice produce biologically active KL growth factor as a membrane-bound form. The biologically active KL of Sertoli cells may also play an important role in germ cell growth and differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onoue
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimune
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains / Q000378:metabolism*; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019089:Stem Cell Factor
chemical_list: D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D019089:Stem Cell Factor