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The Human Leydig Cell

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Book cover Male Hypogonadism

Part of the book series: Contemporary Endocrinology ((COE))

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Abstract

The Leydig cells are found in the interstitial compartment of the testis and are the major source of androgens in males. At least two populations of Leydig cells differentiate sequentially as the testis develops—a fetal population which regulates masculinization in utero and an adult population which develops before puberty and regulates adult fertility and sex drive. A third, neonatal population is also observed in the human which may represent re-activation of the fetal Leydig cells. The fetal Leydig cells in the human depend upon stimulation by chorionic gonadotropin and produce androgens through the canonical steroidogenic pathway and also, possibly, through an alternative “backdoor” pathway; both pathways apparently being required for normal fetal masculinization. Fetal Leydig cells also secrete insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3) which, along with androgen, induces testicular descent. The fetal Leydig cell population persists into adulthood in mice but becomes secondary to the adult population. Development of the adult Leydig cell population is dependent on the Sertoli cells and on luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary. The adult cells in humans secrete mainly testosterone synthesized through the Δ5 canonical pathway, and cell activity is dependent on LH and the bone-derived hormone osteocalcin while the Sertoli cells, through unknown factors, act to maintain Leydig cell numbers. During aging in humans, there is a reduction in Leydig cell activity and, possibly, Leydig cell numbers. Leydig cell tumors are rare but will lead to precocious puberty when they occur in prepubertal boys. In about half of cases these tumors are associated with activating mutations in the steroidogenic machinery [e.g., the luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR)].

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Acknowledgements

Support from the BBSRC (BB/J015105) and MRC (MR/L01001) during the preparation of this manuscript is acknowledged.

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  1. College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Rd., Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK

    Peter J. O’Shaughnessy BSc, PhD

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  1. Peter J. O’Shaughnessy BSc, PhD
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Correspondence to Peter J. O’Shaughnessy BSc, PhD .

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  1. Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, D, University of Louisville Health Sciences, Louisville, USA

    Stephen J. Winters

  2. Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

    Ilpo T. Huhtaniemi

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O’Shaughnessy, P.J. (2017). The Human Leydig Cell. In: Winters, S., Huhtaniemi, I. (eds) Male Hypogonadism. Contemporary Endocrinology. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53298-1_2

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