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Transcriptional/Translational Regulation of Mammalian Spermatogenic Stem Cells

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Transcriptional and Translational Regulation of Stem Cells

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 786))

Abstract

A fundamental feature of mammalian spermatogenesis is the continuous production of sperm within the testis throughout an animal’s entire reproductive lifetime. It takes many weeks for a single spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) to become a functional sperm yet it has been estimated that the human testis produces 1,000 sperm with each heartbeat or about 37 billion sperm per year [1]. To achieve and sustain this immense level of production, the pool of SSCs and the commitment of these cells to differentiation must be carefully coordinated. Like many other organ stem cell populations, very little is known about the factors that regulate the balance between SSC self-renewal and their commitment to spermatogenesis within the testis. This chapter will review our current understanding of the characteristics of mammalian SSCs and the transcriptional and translational controls governing SSC self-renewal and differentiation. I will focus predominantly on rodent models, as they have generated the majority of data in this field, however, where possible I will also comment on the regulation of SSC pools in other species.

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Abbreviations

As :

A single

Apr :

A paired

Aal :

A aligned

dpp:

days post partum

E:

embryonic day

Lu:

luxoid

PTU:

polythiouracil

PGCs:

primordial germ cells

RA:

retinoic acid

SSC:

spermatogonial stem cell

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Acknowlegdements

The author would like to acknowledge the help of Christopher Small and Michael Griswold for their critical reading and editing of the chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Molecular Biosciences and the Centre for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7520, USA

    Cathryn A. Hogarth

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  1. Cathryn A. Hogarth
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Correspondence to Cathryn A. Hogarth .

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  1. , Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, VIC Grattan Street, Parkville, 3010, Victoria, Australia

    Gary Hime

  2. , Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia

    Helen Abud

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Hogarth, C.A. (2013). Transcriptional/Translational Regulation of Mammalian Spermatogenic Stem Cells. In: Hime, G., Abud, H. (eds) Transcriptional and Translational Regulation of Stem Cells. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 786. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6621-1_7

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