Hermo, Louis; Oliveira, Regiana L.; Dufresne, Julie; Gregory, Mary et Cyr, Daniel G. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6566-783X
(2025).
Basal and Immune Cells of the Epididymis: An Electron Microscopy View of Their Association
In:
Molecular Male Reproductive Medicine: Biology and Clinical Perspectives.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1469
(1469).
Springer, Switzerland, pp. 67-87.
Résumé
The epididymis is a highly coiled duct divided into the initial segment, caput, corpus, and cauda regions. It is a pseudostratified epithelium consisting of principal, narrow, apical, basal, and clear cells. Circulating halo cells, identified as nonepithelial cells, monocytes/macrophages (M/M) and T-lymphocytes, in addition to dendritic cells and a resident population of M/M cells, also inhabit the epididymal epithelium. Using electron microscopy (EM), we characterized the ultrastructural features of each of these different cell types. Basal cells with stem cell characteristics suggest a role in sustaining the epithelium following injury and inflammation, as well as maintaining the steady state of the epithelium. Interestingly, a close morphological affiliation was noted between circulating M/M cells with basal cells and an intraepithelial resident M/M population of cells, as well as between T-lymphocytes and dendritic cells. The association of all these cell types with one another suggests complex interactions enabling the coordination of their functions related to maturation, protection, survival of sperm, and renewal of the epithelium.
| Type de document: | Chapitre de livre |
|---|---|
| Mots-clés libres: | Basal cells; Dendritic cells; F4/80 monocyte/macrophages (M/M); Halo cells |
| Centre: | Centre INRS-Institut Armand Frappier |
| Date de dépôt: | 07 juill. 2025 18:53 |
| Dernière modification: | 07 juill. 2025 18:53 |
| URI: | https://espace.inrs.ca/id/eprint/16493 |
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