Fig. 7: Diagram illustrating that supplementing L-citrulline can rescue the DNA damage in Sertoli cells caused by HCD. | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

Fig. 7: Diagram illustrating that supplementing L-citrulline can rescue the DNA damage in Sertoli cells caused by HCD.

From: L-citrulline protects testicular Sertoli cell function by mitigating DNA damage via the gut-testis axis of sheep fed a high-concentrate diet

Fig. 7

The purple diamond shapes within the small intestine represent L-citrulline, while the elongated column shapes symbolize the intestinal microbiota. L-citrulline is transported from the small intestine to the testes and targets the DNA damage mechanism in Sertoli cells. In the HCD model, Sertoli cells undergo DNA damage, leading to a notable increase in associated genes. This disruption affects the tight junctions between Sertoli cells, potentially resulting in aberrant spermatozoa count and morphology. Interestingly, following the treatment with L-citrulline, genes related to DNA damage in Sertoli cells have been restored, enhancing the tight junctions between Sertoli cells. Thus, L-citrulline has a potential role of alleviating the decline in spermatozoa quality induced by HCD.

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