The fully linked HTML version of this article has now been published.
Development ePress online publication date 15 Mar 2006
doi: 10.1242/dev.02316
Research article
The first round of mouse spermatogenesis is a distinctive program that lacks the self-renewing spermatogonia stage
Shosei Yoshida*,
Mamiko Sukeno,
Toshinori Nakagawa,
Kazuyuki Ohbo,
Go Nagamatsu,
Toshio Suda,
and
Yo-ichi Nabeshima
* Author for correspondence (e-mail: shosei{at}lmls.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp)
Mammalian spermatogenesis is maintained by a continuous supply of differentiating cells from self-renewing stem cells. The stem cell activity resides in a small subset of primitive germ cells, the undifferentiated spermatogonia. However, the relationship between the establishment of this population and the initiation of differentiation in the developing testes remains unclear. In this study, we have investigated this issue by using the unique expression of Ngn3, which is expressed specifically in the undifferentiated spermatogonia, but not in the differentiating spermatogonia or their progenitors, the gonocytes. Our lineage analyses demonstrate that the first round of mouse spermatogenesis initiates directly from gonocytes, without passing through the Ngn3-expressing stage (Ngn3- lineage). By contrast, the subsequent rounds of spermatogenesis are derived from Ngn3-positive undifferentiated spermatogonia, which are also immediate descendents of the gonocytes and represent the stem cell function (Ngn3+ lineage). Thus, in mouse spermatogenesis, the state of the undifferentiated spermatogonia is not an inevitable step but is a developmental option that ensures continuous sperm production. In addition, the segregation of gonocytes into undifferentiated spermatogonia (Ngn3+ lineage) or differentiating spermatogonia (Ngn3- lineage) is topographically related to the establishment of the seminiferous epithelial cycle, thus suggesting a role of somatic components in the establishment of stem cells.

CiteULike
Complore
Connotea
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Technorati
Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. Kubota, M. R. Avarbock, J. A. Schmidt, and R. L. Brinster
Spermatogonial Stem Cells Derived from Infertile Wv/Wv Mice Self-Renew In Vitro and Generate Progeny Following Transplantation
Biol Reprod,
August 1, 2009;
81(2):
293 - 301.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Forand, P. Fouchet, J.-B. Lahaye, A. Chicheportiche, R. Habert, and J. Bernardino-Sgherri
Similarities and Differences in the In Vivo Response of Mouse Neonatal Gonocytes and Spermatogonia to Genotoxic Stress
Biol Reprod,
May 1, 2009;
80(5):
860 - 873.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. Ohta, Y. Sakaide, and T. Wakayama
Age- and substrain-dependent sperm abnormalities in BALB/c mice and functional assessment of abnormal sperm by ICSI
Hum. Reprod.,
April 1, 2009;
24(4):
775 - 781.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A Forand, S Messiaen, R Habert, and J Bernardino-Sgherri
Exposure of the mouse perinatal testis to radiation leads to hypospermia at sexual maturity
Reproduction,
March 1, 2009;
137(3):
487 - 495.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Yoshida
Spermatogenic Stem Cell System in the Mouse Testis
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol,
January 15, 2009;
(2009)
sqb.2008.73.046v1.
[Abstract]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. Ueno, B. B. Turnbull, and I. L. Weissman
Two-step oligoclonal development of male germ cells
PNAS,
January 6, 2009;
106(1):
175 - 180.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Basciani, G. De Luca, S. Dolci, M. Brama, M. Arizzi, S. Mariani, G. Rosano, G. Spera, and L. Gnessi
Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor {beta}-Subtype Regulates Proliferation and Migration of Gonocytes
Endocrinology,
December 1, 2008;
149(12):
6226 - 6235.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Q. Zhou, Y. Li, R. Nie, P. Friel, D. Mitchell, R. M. Evanoff, D. Pouchnik, B. Banasik, J. R. McCarrey, C. Small, et al.
Expression of Stimulated by Retinoic Acid Gene 8 (Stra8) and Maturation of Murine Gonocytes and Spermatogonia Induced by Retinoic Acid In Vitro
Biol Reprod,
March 1, 2008;
78(3):
537 - 545.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Yoshida, M. Sukeno, and Y.-i. Nabeshima
A Vasculature-Associated Niche for Undifferentiated Spermatogonia in the Mouse Testis
Science,
September 21, 2007;
317(5845):
1722 - 1726.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. Lei, K. I Hornbaker, D. A Rice, T. Karpova, V. A Agbor, and L. L Heckert
Sex-Specific Differences in Mouse DMRT1 Expression Are Both Cell Type- and Stage-Dependent During Gonad Development
Biol Reprod,
September 1, 2007;
77(3):
466 - 475.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
O. U. Bolden-Tiller, H. Chiarini-Garcia, C. Poirier, D. Alves-Freitas, C. C. Weng, G. Shetty, and M. L. Meistrich
Genetic Factors Contributing to Defective Spermatogonial Differentiation in Juvenile Spermatogonial Depletion (Utp14bjsd) Mice
Biol Reprod,
August 1, 2007;
77(2):
237 - 246.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. G. de Rooij
Rapid expansion of the spermatogonial stem cell tool box
PNAS,
May 23, 2006;
103(21):
7939 - 7940.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2006