title: Tight junctions in the testis: new perspectives.
abstract: In the testis, tight junctions (TJs) are found between adjacent Sertoli cells at the level of the blood-testis barrier (BTB) where they coexist with basal ectoplasmic specializations and desmosome-gap junctions. The BTB physically divides the seminiferous epithelium into two distinct compartments: a basal compartment where spermatogonia and early spermatocytes are found, and an adluminal compartment where more developed germ cells are sequestered from the systemic circulation. In order for germ cells (i.e. preleptotene spermatocytes) to enter the adluminal compartment, they must cross the BTB, a cellular event requiring the participation of several molecules and signalling pathways. Still, it is not completely understood how preleptotene spermatocytes traverse the BTB at stage VIII of the seminiferous epithelial cycle. In this review, we discuss largely how TJ proteins are exploited by viruses and cancer cells to cross endothelial and epithelial cells. We also discuss how this information may apply to future studies investigating the movement of preleptotene spermatocytes across the BTB.
authors.affiliation: Population Council, Center for Biomedical Research, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA. mruk@popcbr.rockefeller.edu
authors.forename: Dolores D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Mruk
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013090:Spermatocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000502:physiology*
references.citation: Blood. 2009 May 7;113(19):4799-809
references.pmid: 19258599
references.citation: Chem Rev. 2002 Dec;102(12):4627-38
references.pmid: 12475204
references.citation: Biol Reprod. 2010 Jan;82(1):202-13
references.pmid: 19741204
references.citation: J Exp Med. 2009 Nov 23;206(12):2795-808
references.pmid: 19887395
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2003 Apr 4;278(14):11916-24
references.pmid: 12547828
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2007 Sep 21;282(38):28137-48
references.pmid: 17623668
references.citation: Dev Biol. 2004 May 15;269(2):447-58
references.pmid: 15110712
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2009 Apr;1788(4):864-71
references.pmid: 18952050
references.citation: Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2009 Apr;20(2):126-37
references.pmid: 19049889
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 1997 Jun 16;137(6):1393-401
references.pmid: 9182670
references.citation: J Virol. 1998 Apr;72(4):3455-8
references.pmid: 9525681
references.citation: Exp Cell Res. 2009 Sep 10;315(15):2637-47
references.pmid: 19527712
references.citation: Urology. 2005 Aug;66(2):441-6
references.pmid: 16040097
references.citation: Reproduction. 2007 Jun;133(6):1169-79
references.pmid: 17636171
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 1996 Feb 16;271(7):3863-8
references.pmid: 8632005
references.citation: Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2001 Apr;2(4):285-93
references.pmid: 11283726
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jun 9;106(23):9298-303
references.pmid: 19470647
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2009 Oct;21(5):694-700
references.pmid: 19729289
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 1999 Oct;11(5):628-33
references.pmid: 10508648
references.citation: J Neurovirol. 2009 Apr;15(2):111-22
references.pmid: 19306229
references.citation: Nat Cell Biol. 2006 Nov;8(11):1223-34
references.pmid: 17060906
references.citation: Genome Biol. 2009;10(8):235
references.pmid: 19706201
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2009 Oct;21(5):676-83
references.pmid: 19525103
references.citation: J Virol. 2000 Oct;74(20):9680-93
references.pmid: 11000240
references.citation: Int Rev Cytol. 1999;186:117-46
references.pmid: 9770298
references.citation: Nat Immunol. 2002 Feb;3(2):151-8
references.pmid: 11812992
references.citation: Biochem J. 2009 May 13;420(2):133-54
references.pmid: 19426143
references.citation: Exp Cell Res. 2006 Apr 1;312(6):817-30
references.pmid: 16410001
references.citation: Exp Cell Res. 2007 Apr 15;313(7):1373-92
references.pmid: 17359973
references.citation: Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2000 Jun 30;41(3):283-301
references.pmid: 10854687
references.citation: Mol Biol Cell. 2000 Dec;11(12):4131-42
references.pmid: 11102513
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2009 Aug;21(4):582-8
references.pmid: 19443190
references.citation: J Cell Biochem. 2006 Sep 1;99(1):35-52
references.pmid: 16823799
references.citation: Biol Cell. 2009 Jun;101(6):319-34
references.pmid: 18823282
references.citation: Dev Biol. 2009 Mar 1;327(1):48-61
references.pmid: 19103189
references.citation: PLoS Pathog. 2009 Dec;5(12):e1000702
references.pmid: 20041214
references.citation: Traffic. 2001 Feb;2(2):93-8
references.pmid: 11247307
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2008 Dec 1;121(Pt 23):3853-7
references.pmid: 19020303
references.citation: Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2000 Aug;11(4):281-9
references.pmid: 10966862
references.citation: Mol Cell Proteomics. 2007 Nov;6(11):1855-67
references.pmid: 17644758
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 Mar;1778(3):729-56
references.pmid: 17950242
references.citation: Trends Cell Biol. 2008 May;18(5):210-9
references.pmid: 18394899
references.citation: Annu Rev Physiol. 1998;60:121-42
references.pmid: 9558457
references.citation: FEBS Lett. 2007 Jun 12;581(14):2702-8
references.pmid: 17531226
references.citation: Front Biosci. 2008 May 01;13:6662-81
references.pmid: 18508686
references.citation: J Virol. 2009 Aug;83(16):8012-20
references.pmid: 19515778
references.citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 Jun 20;371(1):1-4
references.pmid: 18406346
references.citation: Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2010 Jan;2(1):a002907
references.pmid: 20182608
references.citation: Nat Rev Cancer. 2009 Jan;9(1):40-55
references.pmid: 19078974
references.citation: Nature. 2009 Feb 12;457(7231):882-6
references.pmid: 19182773
references.citation: J Virol. 2007 Nov;81(22):12465-71
references.pmid: 17804490
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 1998 Oct;10(5):654-9
references.pmid: 9818177
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 2008 Dec 15;183(6):1159-73
references.pmid: 19064666
references.citation: Dev Cell. 2007 Feb;12(2):195-206
references.pmid: 17276338
references.citation: Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2000 Aug;11(4):315-24
references.pmid: 10966866
references.citation: Nature. 2003 Feb 13;421(6924):748-53
references.pmid: 12610627
references.citation: EMBO Rep. 2007 Feb;8(2):158-64
references.pmid: 17235357
references.citation: Trends Mol Med. 2007 Oct;13(10):443-8
references.pmid: 17913584
references.citation: Clin Exp Metastasis. 2007;24(8):685-97
references.pmid: 17952616
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 1998 Nov 6;273(45):29745-53
references.pmid: 9792688
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2004 Nov 12;279(46):48079-84
references.pmid: 15364909
references.citation: Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2005 Apr 25;57(6):883-917
references.pmid: 15820558
references.citation: Curr Biol. 2008 Oct 28;18(20):R941-3
references.pmid: 18957244
references.citation: Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2005 Feb;25(1):181-99
references.pmid: 15962513
references.citation: Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2009 Dec;10(12):843-53
references.pmid: 19904298
references.citation: Oncogene. 2002 Aug 1;21(33):5088-96
references.pmid: 12140759
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2001 May;142(5):1865-77
references.pmid: 11316752
references.citation: Exp Cell Res. 2005 Sep 10;309(1):110-20
references.pmid: 15979067
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2007 Feb;19(1):43-50
references.pmid: 17184985
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2005 Mar 25;280(12):11665-74
references.pmid: 15677455
references.citation: Mol Cell Biol. 2006 Sep;26(17):6557-70
references.pmid: 16914739
references.citation: Biol Reprod. 2009 Nov;81(5):871-9
references.pmid: 19571261
references.citation: Mol Biol Cell. 2009 Apr;20(7):1916-25
references.pmid: 19176753
references.citation: Mol Biol Cell. 2002 Apr;13(4):1227-37
references.pmid: 11950934
references.citation: J Virol. 2008 Sep;82(17):8838-48
references.pmid: 18562541
references.citation: Int J Cancer. 2007 Jun 15;120(12):2568-75
references.pmid: 17278108
references.citation: Science. 2003 May 30;300(5624):1430-4
references.pmid: 12775840
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2007 May 1;120(Pt 9):1505-11
references.pmid: 17452622
references.citation: Biochem Soc Trans. 2008 Apr;36(Pt 2):149-55
references.pmid: 18363555
references.citation: BMC Cell Biol. 2009 Dec 22;10:95
references.pmid: 20028514
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 1994 Dec;127(6 Pt 1):1617-26
references.pmid: 7798316
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2004 Mar 1;117(Pt 7):1247-57
references.pmid: 14996944
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 1989 Aug;109(2):577-84
references.pmid: 2547803
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Jul 18;97(15):8346-51
references.pmid: 10900001
references.citation: Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 2006;22:207-35
references.pmid: 16771626
references.citation: Cell. 2002 Sep 20;110(6):789-99
references.pmid: 12297051
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2004 Sep 1;117(Pt 19):4401-9
references.pmid: 15304526
references.citation: EMBO J. 2001 Oct 15;20(20):5578-86
references.pmid: 11598001
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 Mar;1778(3):588-600
references.pmid: 17916321
references.citation: FASEB J. 2008 Jun;22(6):1945-59
references.pmid: 18192323
references.citation: Sci Signal. 2009 Jun 30;2(77):ra32
references.pmid: 19567915
references.citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Mar 7;302(2):324-9
references.pmid: 12604349
references.citation: J Virol. 2009 Jun;83(12):6125-34
references.pmid: 19369347
references.citation: Exp Cell Res. 2004 Jan 1;292(1):51-66
references.pmid: 14720506
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 2001 Feb;120(2):411-22
references.pmid: 11159882
references.citation: EMBO Rep. 2009 Oct;10(10):1125-31
references.pmid: 19730435
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2009 Jul;150(7):3336-44
references.pmid: 19213829
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jan 6;106(1):61-6
references.pmid: 19114660
references.citation: Dev Biol. 2008 Jan 1;313(1):246-55
references.pmid: 18022613
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2009 Oct;21(5):701-7
references.pmid: 19608396
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2005 Mar;146(3):1532-40
references.pmid: 15591150
references.citation: Traffic. 2007 Feb;8(2):89-96
references.pmid: 17181773
references.citation: J Gene Med. 2004 Feb;6 Suppl 1:S152-63
references.pmid: 14978758
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Dec;77(12):7415-9
references.pmid: 6261256
references.citation: Endocr Rev. 2004 Oct;25(5):747-806
references.pmid: 15466940
references.citation: J Virol. 2008 May;82(10):5007-20
references.pmid: 18337570
references.citation: Am J Physiol. 1995 Oct;269(4 Pt 1):G467-75
references.pmid: 7485497
references.citation: Biochem J. 2006 Jan 1;393(Pt 1):69-77
references.pmid: 16134968
references.citation: Annu Rev Physiol. 2006;68:403-29
references.pmid: 16460278
references.citation: Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 2009 Jan 01;14:2522-45
references.pmid: 19273217
references.citation: EMBO J. 2001 Jul 16;20(14):3738-48
references.pmid: 11447115
references.citation: J Exp Med. 2008 Apr 14;205(4):951-66
references.pmid: 18378793
references.citation: Cell. 2001 Feb 9;104(3):441-51
references.pmid: 11239401
references.citation: Cell Cycle. 2008 Nov 15;7(22):3509-13
references.pmid: 19001847
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 Mar;1778(3):670-91
references.pmid: 18201548
references.citation: Nature. 2007 Apr 12;446(7137):801-5
references.pmid: 17325668
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2004 Dec;145(12):5439-47
references.pmid: 15331580
references.citation: J Virol. 2008 Apr;82(7):3555-60
references.pmid: 18234789
references.citation: Mol Cancer Res. 2007 Jun;5(6):553-67
references.pmid: 17579117
references.citation: J Am Soc Nephrol. 2002 Apr;13(4):875-886
references.pmid: 11912246
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2000 Aug;141(8):3012-9
references.pmid: 10919290
references.citation: Exp Cell Res. 2004 Aug 15;298(2):624-31
references.pmid: 15265708
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2007 Jun 15;282(24):17930-40
references.pmid: 17452315
references.citation: Br J Cancer. 2003 May 6;88(9):1411-6
references.pmid: 12778071
references.citation: Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2008 Sep;7(9):747-58
references.pmid: 18758472
references.citation: Mol Biol Cell. 2009 Feb;20(3):1102-17
references.pmid: 19056685
references.citation: Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2007;39(10):1765-70
references.pmid: 17276129
references.citation: Hum Pathol. 2004 Feb;35(2):254-8
references.pmid: 14991545
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2001 Feb;142(2):854-63
references.pmid: 11159859
references.citation: Mol Biol Cell. 2005 Jun;16(6):2694-703
references.pmid: 15800062
references.citation: J Exp Med. 2002 Sep 2;196(5):679-91
references.pmid: 12208882
references.citation: EMBO J. 2000 May 2;19(9):2024-33
references.pmid: 10790369
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Oct;78(10):6476-80
references.pmid: 7031654
references.citation: Dev Cell. 2006 Nov;11(5):601-12
references.pmid: 17084354
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2009 Jan 15;122(Pt 2):268-77
references.pmid: 19118219
references.citation: Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2005 Apr 25;57(6):857-67
references.pmid: 15820556
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 2003 Mar 3;160(5):729-40
references.pmid: 12604587
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2004 Apr 30;279(18):18497-503
references.pmid: 14978041
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2006 Jun 16;281(24):16799-813
references.pmid: 16617054
references.citation: J Reprod Fertil Suppl. 1970;10:105-22
references.pmid: 4951168
references.citation: Virology. 2004 Mar 1;320(1):52-62
references.pmid: 15003862
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 May;1165:10-8
references.pmid: 19538282
references.citation: Exp Cell Res. 2006 May 15;312(9):1566-80
references.pmid: 16542650
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 2003 Feb 3;160(3):423-32
references.pmid: 12566432
references.citation: Trends Cell Biol. 2006 Apr;16(4):181-8
references.pmid: 16537104
references.citation: Science. 2009 Nov 27;326(5957):1216-9
references.pmid: 19965464
references.citation: Mol Cell Biol. 2006 Mar;26(6):2387-98
references.pmid: 16508013
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2008 Feb;20(1):85-90
references.pmid: 18083360
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 2005 Dec 19;171(6):939-45
references.pmid: 16365161
references.citation: Am J Physiol. 1997 Dec;273(6):C1859-67
references.pmid: 9435490
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2009 Apr;1788(4):813-9
references.pmid: 18706387
references.citation: Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2004 Nov;15(9):439-47
references.pmid: 15519891
references.citation: J Immunol. 2003 Mar 15;170(6):3331-6
references.pmid: 12626593
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009 May;1165:121-5
references.pmid: 19538296
references.citation: Prog Histochem Cytochem. 2007;42(1):1-57
references.pmid: 17502225
references.citation: Blood. 2003 Sep 15;102(6):2108-14
references.pmid: 12750158
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2005 Sep 15;118(Pt 18):4283-93
references.pmid: 16141229
references.citation: Oncogene. 2008 Nov 24;27(55):7031-46
references.pmid: 19029943
references.citation: J Leukoc Biol. 2006 Jun;79(6):1105-16
references.pmid: 16565325
references.citation: Annu Rev Biochem. 2000;69:699-727
references.pmid: 10966473
references.citation: Int Rev Cytol. 1985;94:177-211
references.pmid: 3894273
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2007 Nov;148(11):5459-69
references.pmid: 17690169
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2009 Apr;1788(4):761-7
references.pmid: 19121284
references.citation: Am J Anat. 1977 Mar;148(3):313-28
references.pmid: 857632
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 Mar;1778(3):660-9
references.pmid: 17854762
references.citation: Mutat Res. 1993 Dec;290(2):193-200
references.pmid: 7694110
references.citation: J Exp Med. 2007 Dec 24;204(13):3067-76
references.pmid: 18039951
references.citation: Nature. 2004 Sep 16;431(7006):320-4
references.pmid: 15372036
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2003 Oct;15(5):525-30
references.pmid: 14519386
references.citation: Mol Biol Cell. 2005 Nov;16(11):5141-51
references.pmid: 16120645
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 1995 Oct;131(2):275-8
references.pmid: 7593158
references.citation: Cancer Res. 2001 Sep 1;61(17):6592-600
references.pmid: 11522659
references.citation: Biochim Biophys Acta. 2008 Mar;1778(3):631-45
references.pmid: 18036336
references.citation: PLoS One. 2009 Nov 24;4(11):e8002
references.pmid: 19956721
references.citation: Cancer Res. 2000 Sep 15;60(18):5031-6
references.pmid: 11016624
references.citation: Pharmacol Rev. 2008 Jun;60(2):146-80
references.pmid: 18483144
references.citation: Science. 1998 Oct 30;282(5390):938-41
references.pmid: 9794763
references.citation: J Virol. 2009 Feb;83(4):2011-4
references.pmid: 19052094
references.citation: Physiol Rev. 2002 Oct;82(4):825-74
references.pmid: 12270945
references.citation: Trends Biochem Sci. 2005 Jul;30(7):413-22
references.pmid: 15949939
references.citation: Br J Cancer. 2009 Nov 3;101(9):1574-9
references.pmid: 19773761
references.citation: Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2003 Mar;4(3):225-36
references.pmid: 12612641
references.citation: Dev Cell. 2005 May;8(5):777-86
references.pmid: 15866167
references.citation: Pharmacol Rep. 2009 Jan-Feb;61(1):22-32
references.pmid: 19307690
references.citation: J Virol. 2008 Jan;82(1):569-74
references.pmid: 17942559
references.citation: Annu Rev Physiol. 1998;60:161-77
references.pmid: 9558459
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2003 Oct 1;116(Pt 19):3879-91
references.pmid: 12953056
references.citation: Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2008 Oct;295(4):F867-76
references.pmid: 18480174
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2007 Apr 13;282(15):11487-98
references.pmid: 17298946
references.citation: Mol Biol Cell. 2008 May;19(5):1862-72
references.pmid: 18272784
references.citation: IUBMB Life. 2009 Apr;61(4):431-7
references.pmid: 19319969
references.citation: Pharmacol Rev. 2002 Sep;54(3):431-67
references.pmid: 12223531
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2009 May 15;284(20):13778-13791
references.pmid: 19269968
references.citation: Br J Cancer. 2009 Jan 27;100(2):352-9
references.pmid: 19142187
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Dec 18;98(26):15191-6
references.pmid: 11734628
references.citation: Curr Opin Cell Biol. 2006 Oct;18(5):516-23
references.pmid: 16919435
references.citation: J Cell Sci. 2004 Jan 1;117(Pt 1):19-29
references.pmid: 14657270
references.citation: J Endocrinol. 2006 Aug;190(2):313-29
references.pmid: 16899565
references.citation: Brain Pathol. 2007 Oct;17(4):354-62
references.pmid: 17610522
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 2001 Apr 16;153(2):295-305
references.pmid: 11309411
references.citation: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Nov 15;102(46):16696-700
references.pmid: 16275920
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2000 Jul 7;275(27):20520-6
references.pmid: 10877843
references.citation: Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2005 Apr 25;57(6):869-82
references.pmid: 15820557
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2002 Jan 4;277(1):455-61
references.pmid: 11689568
references.citation: Biol Reprod. 1970 Dec;3(3):308-26
references.pmid: 4108372