Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Cells Dev. 2023 Sep;175:203865. doi: 10.1016/j.cdev.2023.203865. Epub 2023 Jun 17.
The testis is a key male reproductive organ that produces gametes through the process of spermatogenesis. Testis morphologies, sperm phenotypes, and the process of spermatogenesis evolve rapidly in mammals, presumably due to the evolutionary pressure on males to give rise to their own offspring. Here, we review studies illuminating the molecular evolution of the testis, in particular large-scale transcriptomic studies, which were based on bulk tissue samples and, more recently, individual cells. Together with various genomic and epigenomic data, these studies have unveiled the cellular source, molecular mechanisms, and evolutionary forces that underlie the rapid phenotypic evolution of the testis. They also revealed shared (ancestral) and species-specific spermatogenic gene expression programs. The insights and available data that have accumulated also provide a valuable resource for the investigation and treatment of male fertility disorders - a dramatically increasing problem in modern industrial societies.
睾丸是男性生殖器官的关键，通过精子发生过程产生配子。哺乳动物的睾丸形态、精子表型和精子发生过程迅速进化，这可能是由于雄性进化压力导致其产生自身后代。在这里，我们综述了睾丸分子进化的研究，特别是基于大量组织样本的大规模转录组研究，以及最近的单细胞研究。这些研究与各种基因组和表观基因组数据一起，揭示了睾丸快速表型进化的细胞来源、分子机制和进化力量。它们还揭示了共享（祖先）和种特异性的精子发生基因表达程序。积累的见解和可用数据也为男性生育障碍的研究和治疗提供了宝贵的资源——这是现代工业社会中一个急剧增加的问题。
