Age-Dependent Clonal Expansion of Non-Sperm-Forming Spermatogonial Stem Cells in Mouse Testes.

Terumichi Kawahara, Shinnosuke Suzuki, Toshinori Nakagawa, Yuki Kamo, Miki Kanouchi, Miyako Fujita, Maki Hattori, Atsuko Suzuki, Kentaro Tanemura, Shosei Yoshida, Kenshiro Hara

Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

In male mammals, spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for sustaining lifelong spermatogenesis within the testicular open niche, a unique environment that allows SSC migration over an extended niche area. As SSCs undergo continuous mitotic division, mutations accumulate and are transmitted to the descendant SSC clones. Therefore, SSC clonal fate behaviors, in terms of their efficiencies in completing spermatogenesis and undergoing expansion within the niche, influence sperm genomic diversity. We aimed to elucidate the effects of physiological aging on SSC clonal fate behavior within the testicular open niche. We used single-cell RNA sequencing, lineage tracing, and intravital live imaging to investigate SSC behavior in aged mouse testes, where spermatogenesis, although reduced, persists. We found that undifferentiated spermatogonia maintained gene expression heterogeneity during aging. Among these, GFRα1

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Research summary

The paper investigates the effects of physiological aging on the behavior of spermatogonial stem cells in mouse testes. This research is relevant as it explores the mechanisms of aging at the cellular level, potentially contributing to our understanding of longevity and the maintenance of reproductive health in the context of aging.

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