Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovers dynamic roadmap and cell-cell communication during buffalo spermatogenesis

Liangfeng Huang; Junjun Zhang; Pengfei Zhang; Xingchen Huang; Weihan Yang; Runfeng Liu; Qinqiang Sun; Yangqing Lu; Ming Zhang; Qiang Fu

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.105733

Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovers dynamic roadmap and cell-cell communication during buffalo spermatogenesis

iScience. 2022 Dec 6;26(1):105733. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105733. eCollection 2023 Jan 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, College of Animal Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
² Institute of Medical and Health, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China.

Abstract

Spermatogenesis carries the task of precise intergenerational transmission of genetic information from the paternal genome and involves complex developmental processes regulated by the testicular microenvironment. Studies performed mainly in mouse models have established the theoretical basis for spermatogenesis, yet the wide interspecies differences preclude direct translation of the findings, and farm animal studies are progressing slowly. More than 32,000 cells from prepubertal (3-month-old) and pubertal (24-month-old) buffalo testes were analyzed by using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), and dynamic gene expression roadmaps of germ and somatic cell development were generated. In addition to identifying the dynamic processes of sequential cell fate transitions, the global cell-cell communication essential to maintain regular spermatogenesis in the buffalo testicular microenvironment was uncovered. The findings provide the theoretical basis for establishing buffalo germline stem cells in vitro or culturing organoids and facilitating the expansion of superior livestock breeding.

Keywords: Cell; Cell biology; Omics; Transcriptomics.