Project description:Generation of haploid gametes in vitro can potentially address gamete failure-based infertility.This study reports complete in vitro meiosis from murine ESC-derived PGCLCs resulting in the formation of male spermatid-like cells (SLCs) capable of producing viable fertile offspring via intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).Our findings provide the basis for generation of haploid spermatids in vitro in human, the generation of transgenic animals, and the use of this system to investigate mechanisms of meiosis. We used microarrays to compare gene expression profiles of in vivo and in vitro derived PGC cells and round spermatids. We collected E12.5 male fatal PGCs, PGCLC in vitro, round spermatids and spermatids like cells produced in vitro, each sample has 3 replications.
Project description:Pachytene piRNAs are PIWI-interacting small RNAs abundantly expressed in pachytene spermatocytes and spermatids in adult mouse testes. Both MIWI and MILI-bound pachytene piRNAs have been found enriched in round spermatids. Miwi-null male mice are sterile due to spermiogenic arrest. In C. elegans, sperm-borne piRNAs appear to have an epigenetic role during fertilization and development because progeny of offspring derived from piRNA-deficient sperm display a progressive fertility loss after several generations. In mice, it remains unknown whether MIWI-bound pachytene piRNA-deficient round spermatids can produce offspring, and whether the progeny of offspring derived from MIWI-bound pachytene piRNA-deficient round spermatids also exhibit transgenerational loss of fertility. Here, we report that Miwi KO round spermatids could fertilize both wild type (WT) and Miwi KO oocytes through round spermatid microinjection (ROSI), and produce healthy and fertile offspring despite the aberrant pachytene piRNA profiles in those Miwi KO spermatids. Progeny of ROSI-derived heterozygotes, both male and female, displayed normal fertility for at least three generations when bred with either WT or Miwi KO females. Our data indicate that aberrant MIWI-bound pachytene piRNAs profiles in spermatids do not affect fertilization, early embryonic development, or fertility of the offspring, suggesting a normal pachytene piRNAs profile is not required for paternal transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mice. Method: Round spermatids were purified from WT and Miwi KO adult testes using a mini-STA-PUT method[Methods Enzymol 1993; 225:84-113.],the purity of round spermatids was >90% based on our previous report[ J Biol Chem 2012; 287:25173-25190.]. Small RNA was isolated from round spermatids using the mirVana RNA isolation kit (Ambion) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. RNA quality and quantity were assessed using the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. Small RNA-Seq was performed on an Ion Proton sequencer (Life Technologies). Libraries were prepared using the Ion Total RNA-Seq Kit v2 (Invitrogen) with biological triplicates for WT and Miwi KO samples. Resutls:Our data indicate that aberrant MIWI-bound pachytene piRNAs profiles in spermatids do not affect fertilization, early embryonic development, or fertility of the offspring, suggesting a normal pachytene piRNAs profile is not required for paternal transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mice.
Project description:In poultry, in vitro derived primordial germ cells (PGCs) represent an important tool for management of genetic resources. However, several studies have highlighted sexual differences exhibited by PGCs through in vitro steps, which may compromise their reproductive capacities. To understand this phenomenon, we compared the proteome of pregonadal chicken male (ZZ) and female (ZW) PGCs expanded in vitro by quantitative proteomic analysis using a GeLC-MS/MS strategy. The proteins found to be differentially abundant in chicken male and female PGCs indicated their early sexual identity. Many of the proteins up-accumulated in male PGCs were encoded by genes strongly enriched in the sexual chromosome Z. This suggests that the known lack of dosage compensation of the transcription of Z-linked genes between sexes persists at protein level in PGCs, and that this may be a key factor of their autonomous sex differentiation. Male and female PGCs up-accumulated protein sets were associated with differential biological processes, and contained proteins biologically relevant for male and female germ cell development respectively. This study presents first evidence on early predetermined sex specific cell fate of chicken PGCs that will help to understand their sexual physiological specificities and enable more precise sex-specific adaptation of in vitro culture conditions.
Project description:Spermatogenesis is a recurring differentiation process that results in the production of male gametes within the testes. During this process, spermatogonial stem cells differentiate to form spermatocytes, which undergo two rounds of meiotic division to form haploid spermatids. Throughout spermiogenesis, round spermatids elongate to form mature sperm. To profile changes in chromatin marks between spermatocytes and spermatids, we generated CUT&RUN data of H3K4me3, H3K27ac and H3K9me3 marks in sorted spermatocytes and spermatids.
Project description:To investigate the gene expression changes observed with aging in round spermatids from Brown Norway rats. We then performed gene expression analysis using data obtained from RNA-seq of round spermatids at two time points.
Project description:Spermatogenesis is a recurring differentiation process that results in the production of male gametes within the testes. During this process, spermatogonial stem cells differentiate to form spermatocytes, which undergo two rounds of meiotic division to form haploid spermatids. Throughout spermiogenesis, round spermatids elongate to form mature sperm. To profile maturing cell types, we generated bulk RNA-seq data from whole testis undergoing the first round of spermatogenesis between post-natal day P6 and P35. We also compared these libraries to adult samples.
Project description:To further understand the effects of chronic cyclophosphamide treatment on spermatogenesis, we used whole genome microarrays to identify differentially expressed genes in pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids from treated and control male rats. Pachytene spermatocytes and round spermatids from rats treated chronically with cyclophosphamide were isolated and profiled for changes in gene expression.
Project description:Actin-related proteins (Arp) are classified according to their similarity to actin and are involved in diverse cellular processes. ACTL7B is a testis-specific Arp and highly conserved in rodents and primates. ACTL7B is specifically expressed in round and elongating spermatids during spermiogenesis. Here, we have generated an Actl7b-null allele in mice to unravel the role of ACTL7B in sperm formation. Male mice homozygous for the Actl7b-null allele (Actl7b-/-) were infertile, while heterozygous males (Actl7b+/-) were fertile. Severe spermatid defects such as detached acrosomes, disrupted membranes and failed elongation of the axoneme start to appear at spermiogenesis step 9 in Actl7b-/- mice, finally resulting in spermatogenic arrest. Abnormal spermatids, were degraded. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments identified interaction between ACTL7B and the LC8 dynein light chains DYNLL1 and DYNLL2, which are first detected in step 9 spermatids and mislocalized when ACTL7B is absent. Our data unequivocally establishes that mutations in ACTL7B are directly related to male infertility, pressing for additional research in men.