Purinergic signalling mobilizes mitochondrial Ca2+ in mouse Sertoli cells

摘要

Non-technical summaryIn mammalian testes, Sertoli cells play a key physiological role in germ cell development. Previous research has implicated local ATP release as a potential mechanism of Sertoli cell stimulation. We show that, in mouse Sertoli cells, two different receptor proteins are activated by ATP. Receptor activation, in turn, causes elevation of calcium ion levels inside the cells. By using a novel method to visualize such calcium signals, we identify mitochondria as essential elements of calcium regulation in the testis.