982-Testicular Mitochondrial in Testosterone Synthesis

Paper Talk · May 17, 2026 · 15m

This research identifies a sophisticated mitochondrial transfer network between Leydig cells (LCs) and testicular macrophages (tMacs) that is essential for testosterone synthesis. Leydig cells manage cellular stress by exporting defective mitochondria via extracellular vesicles to CD206hi macrophages, which eliminate the damaged organelles through a TREM2-dependent process. Simultaneously, LCs replenish their energy levels by acquiring functional mitochondria from MHCIIhi macrophages using VCAM1-mediated interactions. Disruption of this bidirectional exchange results in mitochondrial…