Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41760931›Full record

ArticleNature cell biology2026

An extracellular vesicle-mediated mitochondrial transfer network critical for testosterone synthesis.

Kai Xia, Suyuan Zhang, Hao Peng, Hainan Chen, Cuifeng Yang, Jiajie Yu, Peng Luo, Qiying Lu, Hong Chen, Li Huang and 17 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature cell biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

27 authors.

Kai Xia *Department of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8369-3433
Suyuan Zhang *Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5544-1442
Hao Peng *Center for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-5211-3726
Hainan Chen *Center of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Gaozhou People's Hospital, Gaozhou, China.
Cuifeng YangCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Jiajie YuDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Peng LuoReproductive Medicine Center, The Key Laboratory for Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Qiying LuDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Hong ChenCenter for Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Free Trade Zone Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Li HuangCenter of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Gaozhou People's Hospital, Gaozhou, China.
Yifei XiongCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Lerong ZhaoCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Lei JiaDepartment of Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Fertility Preservation, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Lu LiCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yuan QiuCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yan GuoDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetes Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Congyuan LiuCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Hang FanCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Ziran DaiDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Guihua LiuDepartment of Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center of Fertility Preservation, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Qiong KeCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Tao WangCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9732-4404
Weiqiang LiCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4741-6778
Lili ChenHospital of Stomatology, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. chenlili555@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9965-8990
Chunhua DengDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. dengchh@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4969-2875
Haipeng XiaoDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetes Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. xiaohp@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4188-336X
Andy Peng XiangCenter for Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering, Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China. xiangp@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3409-5012

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82200876National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82371609National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82371611National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82430050, 32130046National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82471689Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Guangdong Natural Science Foundation) 2023B1515020108Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Guangdong Natural Science Foundation) 2024A1515012367Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Guangdong Natural Science Foundation) 2024A1515013290
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Testosterone production by testicular Leydig cells (LCs) in male mammals is energetically demanding and prone to mitochondrial damage. Despite these challenges, LCs exhibit remarkable longevity and minimal turnover, suggesting the existence of specialized mechanisms that maintain LC mitochondrial homeostasis under such constrains. Here we identify a mitochondrial transfer network between LCs and different testicular macrophage (tMac) subpopulations. Leydig cells release extracellular vesicles containing defective mitochondria, which are eliminated by CD206

Indexed as

Extracellular VesiclesLeydig CellsMacrophagesMitochondriaTestosteroneAnimalsCell CommunicationMaleMiceMice, KnockoutTestosterone

Identifiers

PMID41760931
PMCPMC13086587

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.