Zhang Jiaxin, Xie Ye, Wang Xiaoyan, Kang Yafei, Wang Chuxiong, Xie Qinying, Dong Xinyi, Tian Yonghong, Huang Donghui
Institute of Reproduction Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Reproductive Center, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Front Cell Dev Biol. 2024 Aug 5;12:1440914. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1440914. eCollection 2024.
The epididymis is important for sperm transport, maturation, and storage. The head and tail of the epididymis of 5-week-old and 10-week-old C57 BL/6J male mice were used for single-cell sequencing. 10 cell types including main, basal, and narrow/clear cells are identified. Next, we performed cell subgroup analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and differentiation potential prediction on principal cells, clear cells, and basal cells. Our study indicates that the principal cells are significantly involved in sperm maturation, as well as in antiviral and anti-tumor immune responses. Clear cells are likely to play a crucial role in safeguarding sperm and maintaining epididymal pH levels. Basal cells are implicated in the regulation of inflammatory and stress responses. The composition and functions of the various cell types within the epididymis undergo significant changes before and after sexual maturity. Furthermore, pseudo-temporal analysis elucidates the protective and supportive roles of epididymal cells in sperm maturation during sexual maturation. This study offers a theoretical framework and forecasts for the investigation of epididymal sperm maturation and epididymal immunity.
附睾对于精子的运输、成熟和储存至关重要。使用5周龄和10周龄C57 BL/6J雄性小鼠的附睾头部和尾部进行单细胞测序。鉴定出包括主细胞、基底细胞和窄/透明细胞在内的10种细胞类型。接下来，我们对主细胞、透明细胞和基底细胞进行了细胞亚群分析、功能富集分析和分化潜能预测。我们的研究表明，主细胞显著参与精子成熟以及抗病毒和抗肿瘤免疫反应。透明细胞可能在保护精子和维持附睾pH水平方面发挥关键作用。基底细胞与炎症和应激反应的调节有关。附睾内各种细胞类型的组成和功能在性成熟前后发生显著变化。此外，拟时序分析阐明了附睾细胞在性成熟过程中对精子成熟的保护和支持作用。本研究为附睾精子成熟和附睾免疫的研究提供了理论框架和预测。
