ReviewBiology of reproduction2011
The blood-testis and blood-epididymis barriers are more than just their tight junctions.
Review in Biology of reproduction, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 175 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
175 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 386 citations in OpenAlex.
- Immunoregulatory mechanisms between epithelial clear cells and mononuclear phagocytes in the epididymis.Andrology · 2024Pooled it
- Heat exposure during susceptible windows of spermatogenesis and sperm epigenetic age.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2026Trial
- Molecular Mechanisms Underlying α-Linolenic Acid-Enhanced Reproductive Performance in Male Blue Foxes.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Advances in understanding the dual roles of testicular immune responses: From immune privilege to inflammation.Seminars in immunopathology · 2026Review
- SARS-CoV-2 triggers an NF-kB-driven proliferative response in epididymal clear cells of K18-hACE2 mice.Reproduction & fertility · 2026Article
- Depletion of CX3CR1Mucosal immunology · 2026Article
- Common Environmental Hazards and Male Infertility: Effects on Epididymal Immune Microenvironment.Toxics · 2026Review
- Personalized Models of Biological Barriers and Their Diseases: Recent Progress with Organs-On-Chips.Advanced biology · 2026Review
- Single-cell analysis of testicular bacterial microbiome changes during aging and effect on reproductive capacity in mice.iScience · 2025Article
- The Impact of Chronic Toxoplasmosis on the Gonadotropic Gonadal Axis in Male Rats.Acta parasitologica · 2025Article
- Polystyrene nanoplastics disrupt epididymal initial segment by perturbing NK cell differentiation and epithelial homeostasis.Journal of nanobiotechnology · 2025Article
- Article
- HDAC3 as an Emerging Therapeutic Target for Alzheimer's Disease and other Neurological Disorders.Molecular neurobiology · 2025Review
- Thymol alleviates silica dioxide nanoparticle-induced reproductive performance toxicity via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms in male rats.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Pathophysiological effects of hypoxia on testis function and spermatogenesis.Nature reviews. Urology · 2025Review
- Phthalate Exposure During Pregnancy and Lactation Transgenerationally Impairs the Epididymis in the Offspring of Rats.Journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology · 2025Article
- Histomorphometry and sperm quality in male rats exposed to 2.45 GHz Wi-Fi.Reproduction (Cambridge, England) · 2025Article
- Epididymal-Born circRNA Cargo and Its Implications in Male Fertility.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Pharmacovigilance analysis of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related reproductive adverse effects based on the FDA adverse event reporting system.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Inhibition of LncRNAInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
115 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
The terms blood-testis barrier (BTB) or blood-epididymis barrier (BEB), are often described as Sertoli cell-Sertoli cell tight junctions (TJs) or TJs between the epithelial cells in the epididymis, respectively. However, in reality, the BTB and BEB are much more complex than just the TJ. The focus of this minireview is to remind readers that the complete BTB and BEB are comprised of three components: anatomical, physiological, and immunological. The TJs form the anatomical (physical) barrier that restricts passage of molecules and cells from entering or exiting the lumen. The physiological barrier is comprised of transporters that regulate movement of substances in or out of the lumen, thus creating a microenvironment, which is critical for the proper development and maturation of germ cells. The immunological barrier limits access by the immune system and sequesters the majority of the autoantigenic germ cells. Combined with the overall immune-privilege of the testis, this suppresses detrimental immune responses against the autoantigenic germ cells. These three components on their own do not create a complete functional barrier; instead, it is the interaction between all three components that create a barrier of maximal competence.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.