Peritubular stem Leydig cells (SLCs) have been identified from rat testicular seminiferous tubules. However, no stem cells for peritubular myoid cells have been reported in the adult testis so far. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the peritubular SLCs are multipotent and able to form either Leydig or myoid cells. Using cultured tubules, we show that in the presence of PDGFAA and luteinizing hormone, SLCs became testosterone-producing Leydig cells, while in the presence of PDGFBB and TGFB, the cells formed α-smooth muscle actin-expressing myoid cells. This multipotency was also confirmed by culture of isolated CD90⁺ SLCs. These results suggest that these stem cells outside the myoid layer are multipotent and give rise to either Leydig or myoid cells, depending on the inducing factors. These cells may serve as a common precursor population for maintaining homeostasis of both Leydig and myoid cell populations in the adult testis.

已从大鼠睾丸曲细精管中鉴定出管周干间质细胞 (SLC)。然而，迄今为止，尚未报道成人睾丸中管周肌样细胞的干细胞。在本研究中，我们测试了管周 SLC 是多能的并且能够形成 Leydig 细胞或肌样细胞的假设。使用培养的肾小管，我们发现在 PDGFAA 和黄体生成素存在下，SLC 变成产生睾酮的 Leydig 细胞，而在 PDGFBB 和 TGFB 存在下，细胞形成表达 α-平滑肌肌动蛋白的肌样细胞。这种多能性也通过分离的 CD90 ⁺ SLC 的培养得到证实。这些结果表明，肌样层外的这些干细胞是多能的，根据诱导因素，可以产生间质细胞或肌样细胞。这些细胞可以作为维持成人睾丸中间质细胞和肌样细胞群稳态的共同前体细胞群。