Sertoli cells

Looks like

Tall cells lining the seminiferous tubules, wrapped around developing sperm.

What it does

Nurse developing sperm, form the blood–testis barrier and make inhibin.

Keeping it well

Damaged by chemotherapy and radiotherapy; sperm banking before cancer treatment preserves fertility.

Related conditions

• Bone metastases and spinal cord compression
• Early puberty (precocious puberty)
• Epididymitis and orchitis
• Hydrocele
• Klinefelter syndrome (XXY)
• Male hypogonadism
• Male infertility
• Mumps
• Testicular cancer
• Testicular torsion
• Undescended testis (cryptorchidism)
• Varicocele