Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells

Infertility has become one of the most serious diseases worldwide, and 50% of this disease can be attributed to male-related factors. Spermatogenesis, by definition, is a complex process by which spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) self-renew to maintain stem cell population within the testes and diffe...

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Main Authors: Cai-Mei He, Dong Zhang, Zuping He
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-01-01
Series:Asian Journal of Andrology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/aja202467
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author Cai-Mei He
Dong Zhang
Zuping He
author_facet Cai-Mei He
Dong Zhang
Zuping He
author_sort Cai-Mei He
collection DOAJ
description Infertility has become one of the most serious diseases worldwide, and 50% of this disease can be attributed to male-related factors. Spermatogenesis, by definition, is a complex process by which spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) self-renew to maintain stem cell population within the testes and differentiate into mature spermatids. It is of great significance to uncover gene regulation and signaling pathways that are involved in the fate determinations of SSCs with aims to better understand molecular mechanisms underlying human spermatogenesis and identify novel targets for gene therapy of male infertility. Significant achievement has recently been made in demonstrating the signaling molecules and pathways mediating the fate decisions of mammalian SSCs. In this review, we address key gene regulation and crucial signaling transduction pathways in controlling the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of SSCs, and we illustrate the networks of genes and signaling pathways in SSC fate determinations. We also highlight perspectives and future directions in SSC regulation by genes and their signaling pathways. This review could provide novel insights into the genetic regulation of normal and abnormal spermatogenesis and offer molecular targets to develop new approaches for gene therapy of male infertility.
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spelling doaj-art-d9bcb8dcb9214f06ae3e1397aa7e9bb32025-08-20T02:46:28ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsAsian Journal of Andrology1008-682X2025-01-01Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cellsCai-Mei HeDong ZhangZuping HeInfertility has become one of the most serious diseases worldwide, and 50% of this disease can be attributed to male-related factors. Spermatogenesis, by definition, is a complex process by which spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) self-renew to maintain stem cell population within the testes and differentiate into mature spermatids. It is of great significance to uncover gene regulation and signaling pathways that are involved in the fate determinations of SSCs with aims to better understand molecular mechanisms underlying human spermatogenesis and identify novel targets for gene therapy of male infertility. Significant achievement has recently been made in demonstrating the signaling molecules and pathways mediating the fate decisions of mammalian SSCs. In this review, we address key gene regulation and crucial signaling transduction pathways in controlling the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of SSCs, and we illustrate the networks of genes and signaling pathways in SSC fate determinations. We also highlight perspectives and future directions in SSC regulation by genes and their signaling pathways. This review could provide novel insights into the genetic regulation of normal and abnormal spermatogenesis and offer molecular targets to develop new approaches for gene therapy of male infertility.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/aja202467fate decisionsgene regulationmale infertilitysignaling transduction pathwaysspermatogonial stem cells
spellingShingle Cai-Mei He
Dong Zhang
Zuping He
Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells
Asian Journal of Andrology
fate decisions
gene regulation
male infertility
signaling transduction pathways
spermatogonial stem cells
title Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells
title_full Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells
title_fullStr Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells
title_full_unstemmed Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells
title_short Gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self-renewal, differentiation, and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells
title_sort gene regulation and signaling transduction in mediating the self renewal differentiation and apoptosis of spermatogonial stem cells
topic fate decisions
gene regulation
male infertility
signaling transduction pathways
spermatogonial stem cells
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/aja202467
work_keys_str_mv AT caimeihe generegulationandsignalingtransductioninmediatingtheselfrenewaldifferentiationandapoptosisofspermatogonialstemcells
AT dongzhang generegulationandsignalingtransductioninmediatingtheselfrenewaldifferentiationandapoptosisofspermatogonialstemcells
AT zupinghe generegulationandsignalingtransductioninmediatingtheselfrenewaldifferentiationandapoptosisofspermatogonialstemcells