Single-cell RNA sequencing of human, macaque, and mouse testes uncovers primate-specific features of spermatogenesis
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ABSTRACT: Spermatogenesis is a highly regulated process that produces sperm which faithfully transmits genetic information to the next generation. Although extensively studied in mice, our current understanding of human and macaque spermatogenes is limited to known populations defined by state-specific markers developed from rodent data. As between-species differences have been reported in the process duration and cellular differentiation hierarchy, it remains unclear how molecular markersand cell states are conserved or have diverged from mice toman. To address this challenge, we employ single-cell RNA sequencing to identify transcriptional signatures of major germ and somatic cell-types of the testes in both human and macaques, and compared these data with mouse to characterize conserved and divergent features. This approach reveals differences in gene regulation throughout spermatogenesis, including differences in the stem/progenitor pool of spermatogonia, the expression timing of classical markers of differentiation, potential regulators of meiosis, the kinetics of RNA turnover during sperm maturation, and germ cell-soma communication. These datasets provide a rich foundation for future targeted mechanistic studies of germ cell development and in vitro gametogenesis.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens Macaca mulatta
PROVIDER: GSE142585 | GEO | 2020/06/12
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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