A 20-year-old man contracts cholera during a long tour of military duty in a remote, completely undeveloped region. After a 5-day period of severe diarrhea and treatment, he gradually recovers and slowly returns to work. He is married 3 years later but after a few years of trying to conceive a child, semen analysis reveals that his sperm are few in number and malformed, and blood tests show a high titer of antibodies against sperm antigens. The causative agent of cholera, Vibrio cholera, secretes a toxin that interferes with tight (occluding) junctions. What cells in the gonad are the likely target of this toxin in the male reproductive system?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sertoli cells form the blood-testis barrier through tight junctions, and disruption of these junctions by cholera toxin could lead to exposure of sperm antigens to the immune system, resulting in the production of antibodies against sperm.

A 20-Year-Old Man Contracts Cholera During a Long Tour of Military