The Dynamic of the Apical Ectoplasmic Specialization between Spermatids and Sertoli Cells: The Case of the Small GTPase Rap1

Figure 2

Molecular components at aES level. The picture shows junctional molecules and associated proteins present at aES as discussed here; attention is particularly devoted to junctional complexes on the spermatid membrane. As suggested in the text, an initial Sertoli-spermatid contact may be established by nectins engagement, and then VE-cadherin/catenin complexes contribute to the aES stabilization. In accordance with the literature, the adhesion molecule Jam-C could be involved in spermatid polarization/positioning by recruiting the Par6/Par3/aPKC/Cdc42 polarity complex.