Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Part I General Principles of Cell Death
- Part II Cell Death in Tissues and Organs
- 11 Cell Death in Nervous System Development and Neurological Disease
- 12 Role of Programmed Cell Death in Neurodegenerative Disease
- 13 Implications of Nitrosative Stress-Induced Protein Misfolding in Neurodegeneration
- 14 Mitochondrial Mechanisms of Neural Cell Death in Cerebral Ischemia
- 15 Cell Death in Spinal Cord Injury – An Evolving Taxonomy with Therapeutic Promise
- 16 Apoptosis and Homeostasis in the Eye
- 17 Cell Death in the Inner Ear
- 18 Cell Death in the Olfactory System
- 19 Contribution of Apoptosis to Physiologic Remodeling of the Endocrine Pancreas and Pathophysiology of Diabetes
- 20 Apoptosis in the Physiology and Diseases of the Respiratory Tract
- 21 Regulation of Cell Death in the Gastrointestinal Tract
- 22 Apoptosis in the Kidney
- 23 Physiologic and Pathological Cell Death in the Mammary Gland
- 24 Therapeutic Targeting Apoptosis in Female Reproductive Biology
- 25 Apoptotic Signaling in Male Germ Cells
- 26 Cell Death in the Cardiovascular System
- 27 Cell Death Regulation in Muscle
- 28 Cell Death in the Skin
- 29 Apoptosis and Cell Survival in the Immune System
- 30 Cell Death Regulation in the Hematopoietic System
- 31 Apoptotic Cell Death in Sepsis
- 32 Host–Pathogen Interactions
- Part III Cell Death in Nonmammalian Organisms
- Plate section
- References
25 - Apoptotic Signaling in Male Germ Cells
from Part II - Cell Death in Tissues and Organs
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Contributors
- Part I General Principles of Cell Death
- Part II Cell Death in Tissues and Organs
- 11 Cell Death in Nervous System Development and Neurological Disease
- 12 Role of Programmed Cell Death in Neurodegenerative Disease
- 13 Implications of Nitrosative Stress-Induced Protein Misfolding in Neurodegeneration
- 14 Mitochondrial Mechanisms of Neural Cell Death in Cerebral Ischemia
- 15 Cell Death in Spinal Cord Injury – An Evolving Taxonomy with Therapeutic Promise
- 16 Apoptosis and Homeostasis in the Eye
- 17 Cell Death in the Inner Ear
- 18 Cell Death in the Olfactory System
- 19 Contribution of Apoptosis to Physiologic Remodeling of the Endocrine Pancreas and Pathophysiology of Diabetes
- 20 Apoptosis in the Physiology and Diseases of the Respiratory Tract
- 21 Regulation of Cell Death in the Gastrointestinal Tract
- 22 Apoptosis in the Kidney
- 23 Physiologic and Pathological Cell Death in the Mammary Gland
- 24 Therapeutic Targeting Apoptosis in Female Reproductive Biology
- 25 Apoptotic Signaling in Male Germ Cells
- 26 Cell Death in the Cardiovascular System
- 27 Cell Death Regulation in Muscle
- 28 Cell Death in the Skin
- 29 Apoptosis and Cell Survival in the Immune System
- 30 Cell Death Regulation in the Hematopoietic System
- 31 Apoptotic Cell Death in Sepsis
- 32 Host–Pathogen Interactions
- Part III Cell Death in Nonmammalian Organisms
- Plate section
- References
Summary
Abstract
Programmed germ cell death (apoptosis) is conspicuous during normal spermatogenesis and serves as a quality control system for the production of normal sperm. Deregulation of germ cell death is associated with defective spermatogenesis and impaired fertility. Mitochondria-dependent intrinsic pathway signaling constitutes a critical component of apoptotic signaling in male germ cells across species. However, the regulation of germ cell apoptosis may vary depending on the nature of the apoptotic stimulus and can be triggered by more than one pathway. Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase are critical for activation of the intrinsic pathway signaling in male germ cells. In addition, there is increasing evidence that caspase-2 is an upstream activator of the p38 MAPK and nitric oxide–mediated intrinsic pathway signaling. This chapter focuses on the recent progress in our understanding of the regulation of germ cell apoptosis in the testis.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- ApoptosisPhysiology and Pathology, pp. 283 - 294Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011