Influence of the biomatrix on the response of Sertoli cells to FSH.

Sertoli cell preparations isolated from 15-day-old Wistar rats were cultured on two different substrates, i.e., plastic and a biomatrix isolated from seminiferous tubules of rat testis. Sertoli cells cultured on a biomatrix acquired a phenotype and morphology more characteristic of in vivo differentiated cells. In order to determine the influence of a biomatrix on the response of Sertoli cells to FSH, on the 7th day of culture, untreated cells, or cells pretreated for 12 h with FSH (1 microgram/ml), were incubated with [U-14C] leucine or [2-3H] mannose. Cells cultured on the biomatrix showed higher [U-14C] leucine and [2-3H] mannose incorporation into proteins and glycoproteins. FSH increased these activities in cells cultured on both substrates, although its stimulating effect was higher on cells cultured on the biomatrix. These results demonstrate that the biomatrix increases protein and glycoprotein synthesis and secretion, and also influences the response of Sertoli cells to FSH.