Identification of dynamic undifferentiated cell states within the male germline



: Hue M. La, Juho-Antti Mäkelä, Ai-Leen Chan, Fernando J. Rossello, Christian M. Nefzger, Julien M. D. Legrand, Mia De Seram, Jose M. Polo, Robin M. Hobbs

Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

: 2018

: Nature Communications

: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS

: NAT COMMUN

: 2819

: 9

: 18

: 2041-1723

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-04827-z

: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/35443179


The role of stem cells in tissue maintenance is appreciated and hierarchical models of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation often proposed. Stem cell activity in the male germline is restricted to undifferentiated A-type spermatogonia (A(undiff)); however, only a fraction of this population act as stem cells in undisturbed testis and A(undiff) hierarchy remains contentious. Through newly developed compound reporter mice, here we define molecular signatures of self-renewing and differentiation-primed adult Aundiff fractions and dissect A(undiff) heterogeneity by single-cell analysis. We uncover an unappreciated population within the self-renewing Aundiff fraction marked by expression of embryonic patterning genes and homeodomain transcription factor PDX1. Importantly, we find that PDX1 marks a population with potent stem cell capacity unique to mature, homeostatic testis and demonstrate dynamic interconversion between PDX1+ and PDX1-(Aundiff) states upon transplant and culture. We conclude that Aundiff exist in a series of dynamic cell states with distinct function and provide evidence that stability of such states is dictated by niche-derived cues.

Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 13:41