Testis has been reported to be a naturally oxygen-deprived organ. Lactate produced by glycolysis of Sertoli cells is an important source of energy in spermatogenic cells, which quickly provides adenosine triphosphate to meet the needs of rapidly proliferating spermatogenic cells for energy and substances. Wide attention has been drawn to the studies of energy metabolism and its regulatory mechanisms in normal spermatogenesis. It is essential to illuminate the regulation of glucose transport by glucose transporters in Sertoli cells, the catalysis of pyruvate to lactic acid by lactate dehydrogenase and the transport process of the single carboxylate transporter to lactic acid under the influence of different factors or diseases, which play important roles in ensuring the normal spermatogenesis and male reproductive function. This review summarizes the changes of energy metabolism in spermatogenesis and the mechanisms of endocrine factors, signaling pathways, miRNAs and protein acetylation regulating cell glycolysis, aiming to provide some important reference for the elucidation of the molecular metabolism of spermatogenesis and clinical treatment of relevant diseases.
Keywords: glycometabolism; regulatory mechanism; spermatogenesis; Sertoli cell.