Decoding the spermatogonial stem cell niche under physiological and recovery conditions in adult mice and humans

Cheng Jin 1 2 3, Zhipeng Wang 1, Pengyu Li 1, Jielin Tang 1, Tao Jiao 1, Yiran Li 1, Jinhuan Ou 1, Dingfeng Zou 1, Mengzhen Li 1, Xinyu Mang 1, Jun Liu 1, Yanni Ma 1 4, Xiaolong Wu 5, Jie Shi 5, Shitao Chen 6, Manman He 1, Yan Lu 1, Ning Zhang 4 7, Shiying Miao 1, Fei Sun 5, Linfang Wang 1, Kai Li 1, Jia Yu 1 4, Wei Song 1

Sci Adv. 2023 Aug 4;9(31):eabq3173.

PMID: 37540753

Abstract

The intricate interaction between spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) and testicular niche is essential for maintaining SSC homeostasis; however, this interaction remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, to characterize the underlying signaling pathways and related paracrine factors, we delineated the intercellular interactions between SSC and niche cell in both adult mice and humans under physiological conditions and dissected the niche-derived regulation of SSC maintenance under recovery conditions, thus uncovering the essential role of C-C motif chemokine ligand 24 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 in SSC maintenance. We also established the clinical relevance of specific paracrine factors in human fertility. Collectively, our work on decoding the adult SSC niche serves as a valuable reference for future studies on the aetiology, diagnosis, and treatment of male infertility.