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Fig. 1 | Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

Fig. 1

From: Follicle-stimulating hormone signaling in Sertoli cells: a licence to the early stages of spermatogenesis

Fig. 1

FSH signaling pathway in SCs. After FSH binds to FSHR on the membrane of SCs, FSH signaling is activated. FSHR recruits different types of G proteins to mediate different signaling pathways. Recruitment of Gβγ subunits activates the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, promoting the translation of mRNAs. Recruitment of the Gɑ subunit activates the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. Activated PKA directly phosphorylates the CREB protein in the nucleus. Phosphorylated CREB binds to CREs of target genes to regulate transcriptional activity. In addition, PKA activates ERK during Sertoli cell proliferation. ERK activation is also mediated by recruiting the Gɑi subunit. Recently, FSH-induced RA signaling was reported. FSH promotes RA biosynthesis through a cAMP-dependent pathway. RA translocates into the nucleus and binds to RAR/RXR to regulate target gene transcription. The cAMP/PKA signaling pathway participates in Sertoli cell differentiation, SSC self-renewal and differentiation, spermatogonia proliferation and their entry into meiosis, as well as BTB dynamics. The cAMP/PKA/ERK signaling pathway and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway induce Sertoli cell proliferation. The cAMP/RA signaling pathway has been shown to participate in SSC differentiation, spermatogonia differentiation and their entry into meiosis. TF: transcription factor 

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