Affiliations: Department of Environmental Health, Fudan University,
Shanghai, 200032, China | Population Council and The Rockefeller University, New
York, NY 10021, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Yunhui Zhang, MD, PhD, Population Council,
The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. E-mail:
yzhang@popcouncil.org
Abstract: Leydig cells are the primary source of testosterone in the male, and
differentiation of Leydig cells in the testes is one of the primary events in
the development of the male body and fertility. Stem Leydig cells (SLCs) exist
in the testis throughout postnatal life, but a lack of cell surface markers
previously hindered attempts to obtain purified SLC fractions. Once isolated,
the properties of SLCs provide interesting clues for the ontogeny of these
cells within the embryo. Moreover, the clinical potential of SLCs might be used
to reverse age-related declines in testosterone levels in aging men, and
stimulate reproductive function in hypogonadal males. This review focuses on
the source, identification and outlook for therapeutic applications of SLCs.
Separate pools of SLCs may give rise to fetal and adult generations of Leydig
cell, which may account for their observed functional differences. These
differences should in turn be taken into account when assessing the
consequences of environmental pollutants such as the phthalate ester,
diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP).
