JSON
Guo J, Nie X, Giebler M, Mlcochova H, Wang Y, Grow EJ, DonorConnect , Kim R, Tharmalingam M, Matilionyte G, Lindskog C, Carrell DT, Mitchell RT, Goriely A, Hotaling JM, Cairns BR
Cell Stem Cell 26 (2) 262-276.e4 [2020-02-06; online 2020-01-09]
The human testis undergoes dramatic developmental and structural changes during puberty, including proliferation and maturation of somatic niche cells, and the onset of spermatogenesis. To characterize this understudied process, we profiled and analyzed single-cell transcriptomes of ∼10,000 testicular cells from four boys spanning puberty and compared them to those of infants and adults. During puberty, undifferentiated spermatogonia sequentially expand and differentiate prior to the initiation of gametogenesis. Notably, we identify a common pre-pubertal progenitor for Leydig and myoid cells and delineate candidate factors controlling pubertal differentiation. Furthermore, pre-pubertal Sertoli cells exhibit two distinct transcriptional states differing in metabolic profiles before converging to an alternative single mature population during puberty. Roles for testosterone in Sertoli cell maturation, antimicrobial peptide secretion, and spermatogonial differentiation are further highlighted through single-cell analysis of testosterone-suppressed transfemale testes. Taken together, our transcriptional atlas of the developing human testis provides multiple insights into developmental changes and key factors accompanying male puberty.
PubMed 31928944
DOI 10.1016/j.stem.2019.12.005
Crossref 10.1016/j.stem.2019.12.005
mid: NIHMS1569464
pmc: PMC7298616
pii: S1934-5909(19)30523-5