Melatonin Regulates the Synthesis of Steroid Hormones on Male Reproduction: A Review
1
State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
2
National Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Molecules 2018, 23(2), 447; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23020447
Received: 19 January 2018 / Revised: 10 February 2018 / Accepted: 14 February 2018 / Published: 17 February 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Melatonin as an Antioxidant and a Functionally Pleiotropic Molecule: Synthesis, Metabolism and Activities in Organisms)
Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule and exhibits different effects in long-day and short-day breeding animals. Testosterone, the main resource of androgens in the testis, is produced by Leydig cells but regulated mainly by cytokine secreted by Sertoli cells. Melatonin acts as a local modulator of the endocrine activity in Leydig cells. In Sertoli cells, melatonin influences cellular proliferation and energy metabolism and, consequently, can regulate steroidogenesis. These suggest melatonin as a key player in the regulation of steroidogenesis. However, the melatonin-induced regulation of steroid hormones may differ among species, and the literature data indicate that melatonin has important effects on steroidogenesis and male reproduction.
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Keywords:
melatonin; steroidogenesis; Leydig cell; Sertoli cell
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MDPI and ACS Style
Yu, K.; Deng, S.-L.; Sun, T.-C.; Li, Y.-Y.; Liu, Y.-X. Melatonin Regulates the Synthesis of Steroid Hormones on Male Reproduction: A Review. Molecules 2018, 23, 447.
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