germinal epithelium (male) germinal epithelium (male) the germinal epithelium is the epithelial layer of the seminiferous tubules of the testicles. it is also known as the wall of the seminiferous tubules. the cells in the epithelium are connected via tight junctions. germinal epithelium (male)germinal epithelium of the testicle. 1 basal lamina, 2 spermatogonia, 3 spermatocyte 1st order, 4 spermatocyte 2nd order, 5 spermatid, 6 mature spermatid, 7 sertoli cell, 8 tight junction (blood testis barrier)identifiersmeshd012670anatomical terminology this article is part of a series onepithelia squamous epithelial cell simple stratified columnar epithelial cell simple stratified pseudostratified cuboidal epithelial cell simple stratified specialised epithelia olfactory respiratory intestinal transitional vaginal germinal female male other table of epithelia of human organs there are two types of cells in the germinal epithelium. the large sertoli cells (which are not dividing) function as supportive cells to the developing sperm. the second cell type are the cells belonging to the spermatogenic cell lineage. these develop to eventually become sperm cells (spermatozoon). typically, the spermatogenic cells will make four to eight layers in the germinal epithelium.