RESEARCH ARTICLE Hormone induced differential transcriptome analysis of Sertoli cells during postnatal maturation of rat testes Mukesh Gautam1☯¤a, Indrashis Bhattacharya2☯¤b, Umesh Rai1, Subeer S. Majumdar2,3* 1 Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India, 2 Cellular Endocrinology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India, 3 National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India ☯ These authors contributed equally to this work. a1111111111 ¤a Current address: The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, a1111111111 Illinois, United States of America a1111111111 ¤b Current address: Department of Zoology, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, a1111111111 Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India a1111111111 *
[email protected] Abstract OPEN ACCESS Sertoli cells (Sc) are unique somatic cells of testis that are the target of both FSH and testos- Citation: Gautam M, Bhattacharya I, Rai U, terone (T) and regulate spermatogenesis. Although Sc of neonatal rat testes are exposed to Majumdar SS (2018) Hormone induced differential high levels of FSH and T, robust differentiation of spermatogonial cells becomes conspicu- transcriptome analysis of Sertoli cells during ous only after 11-days of postnatal age. We have demonstrated earlier that a developmental postnatal maturation of rat testes. PLoS ONE 13(1): e0191201. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. switch in terms of hormonal responsiveness occurs in rat Sc at around 12 days of postnatal pone.0191201 age during the rapid transition of spermatogonia A to B. Therefore, such ªfunctional matura- Editor: Suresh Yenugu, University of Hyderabad, tionº of Sc, during pubertal development becomes prerequisite for the onset of spermato- INDIA genesis. However, a conspicuous difference in robust hormone (both T and FSH) induced Received: August 20, 2017 gene expression during the different phases of Sc maturation restricts our understanding about molecular events necessary for the spermatogenic onset and maintenance.