A single snapshot of mouse testicular tissue can now reveal the entire, weeks-long cycle of sperm production.
PASADENA, CA — A team led by researchers at Caltech has demonstrated that the entire weeks-long cycle of sperm production in mice can be reconstructed from a single snapshot of testicular tissue using spatial transcriptomics. The study, published in Cell, used seqFISH to profile over 2,500 genes in more than 800,000 cells from mouse testes.
Key Details
The seminiferous epithelial cycle occurs independently in different seminiferous tubules. A single tissue snapshot captures tubules at various stages, enabling reconstruction of the full cycle by ordering hundreds of tubule snapshots.
The method revealed that Sertoli cells, which support developing germ cells, possess an intrinsic rhythm that continues even when germ cells are absent. Retinoic acid, derived from vitamin A, sustains this intrinsic clock. Blocking retinoic acid production caused Sertoli cells to stall mid-cycle.
Broader Implications
The findings suggest that intrinsic oscillators in support cells may coordinate timing and architecture in other tissues, such as hair follicles and intestinal lining.
The study was a collaboration between Caltech, the National Institute for Basic Biology (Japan), and the University of Cambridge.