Review
Developmental Biology
Ruizhi Xue, Wenfeng Lin, Jingkai Sun, Masami Watanabe, Abai Xu, Motoo Araki, Yasutomo Nasu, Zhengyan Tang, Peng Huang
Summary: Accumulating evidence indicates that Wnt signaling is closely related to male reproductive physiology, with dysfunction potentially leading to pathological changes in genital organs and sperm cells. Despite numerous abnormalities being found in knockout models, research has mostly focused on individual factors within the Wnt pathway, with few reports on the overall relationship between Wnt signals and male reproductive physiology. This review aims to provide an overview of Wnt signaling in male reproductive physiology and pathology, sorting out relevant functions and addressing controversies among different studies.
MOLECULAR HUMAN REPRODUCTION
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Larissa Berloffa Belardin, Keliane Brochu, Christine Legare, Maria Agustina Battistone, Sylvie Breton
Summary: Purinergic receptors are widely expressed throughout the body and play a role in regulating cell function. They activate specific receptors and trigger different signaling pathways to regulate various cellular responses. Purinergic signaling is important for the physiological and pathophysiological processes in the male reproductive system, but our understanding of this is limited.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Arnaud Zuber, Adriana Peric, Nicola Pluchino, David Baud, Milos Stojanov
Summary: The human body is colonised by microorganisms, including the genital tract which has been linked to male infertility and pathological conditions like prostate cancer. However, research on the microbiota of the male genital tract remains lacking due to difficulties in sampling and low abundance of microbiota. This narrative review aims to present the results of studies using next-generation sequencing to examine bacterial colonisation patterns in different anatomical compartments of the male genital tract and highlight their findings and limitations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Andrology
Nilendu Paul, Thirumala Rao Talluri, Pradeep Nag, Arumugam Kumaresan
Summary: Epididymosomes play a crucial role in the maturation and fertilizing ability of sperm by transferring proteins, RNA, and lipids from the epididymis to sperm cells. Research on epididymosomes has gained increasing attention in recent years and has the potential to be utilized as a tool for male fertility assessment.
Article
Immunology
Cottrell T. Tamessar, Natalie A. Trigg, Brett Nixon, David A. Skerrett-Byrne, David J. Sharkey, Sarah A. Robertson, Elizabeth G. Bromfield, John E. Schjenken
Summary: Extracellular vesicles are secreted cell-derived membrane structures found in all organisms, playing important roles in cell-cell communication. Recent studies have shown that these vesicles and their cargo have influential roles in male reproduction, supporting sperm development and function, and influencing the physiology of female reproductive tract cells. They are critical regulators of fertility and fecundity.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Daiji Kiyozumi
Summary: This review article summarizes a novel extracellular regulatory mechanism that controls mammalian male reproductive ability. It highlights the importance of the luminal extracellular environment in the transport and maturation of sperm, as well as its role in cellular communication for regulating sperm maturation. The molecular mechanism of lumicrine signaling in the male reproductive tract lumen and its significance in sperm maturation and male reproductive ability are discussed.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Xia Lang, Michael Adjei, Cailian Wang, Xiaoying Chen, Chunhai Li, Peng Wang, Meilan Pan, Kerui Li, Khuram Shahzad, Wangsheng Zhao
Summary: The first filial generation of cattleyaks demonstrates hybrid vigor, but male cattleyaks are infertile, limiting productivity and breeding. Comparative transcriptome analysis of cattleyak epididymis segments identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enriched signaling pathways, providing valuable information for improving cattleyak fertility and understanding epididymal biology.
ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Andrology
Nobuyuki Sakurai, Yoshitaka Fujihara, Kiyonori Kobayashi, Masahito Ikawa
Summary: This study reveals the important role of epididymis-enriched genes in sperm maturation and acquisition of fertilizing ability. Knockout of these genes leads to reduced fertility in male mice.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Rongyu Yao, Tingting Lu, Jiamei Liu, Wanhong Li, Xiuiu Weng, Xiangpeng Yue, Fadi Li
Summary: ADP-dependent glucokinase (ADPGK) plays a significant role in regulating energy metabolism and promoting testis development and spermatogenesis. The mutation in ADPGK gene was found to be associated with testis traits and spermatogenesis in Hu sheep, with TC genotype individuals showing increased gene expression and reproductive advantages. The SNP identified may serve as an effective DNA molecular marker for marker-assisted selection in Hu sheep breeding programs.
ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Andrology
Suheyla Esra Ozkocer, Ece Konac
Summary: Male infertility affects around 30% of infertile couples, with sperm maturation in the epididymis playing a crucial role in fertility. The epididymal epithelium provides a suitable environment for sperm maturation through ion transport, vesicle secretion, and protein matrix formation. Altered gene expression in the epididymis can lead to decreased sperm motility, morphological abnormalities, and subfertility, highlighting the importance of genetic factors in male infertility.
Review
Urology & Nephrology
Suks Minhas, Carlo Bettocchi, Luca Boeri, Paolo Capogrosso, Joana Carvalho, Nusret Can Cilesiz, Andrea Cocci, Giovanni Corona, Konstantinos Dimitropoulos, Murat Gul, Georgios Hatzichristodoulou, Thomas Hugh Jones, Ates Kadioglu, Juan Ignatio Martinez Salamanca, Uros Milenkovic, Vaibhav Modgil, Giorgio Ivan Russo, Ege Can Serefoglu, Tharu Tharakan, Paolo Verze, Andrea Salonia
Summary: The latest guidelines from the European Association of Urology recommend comprehensive urological evaluation for infertile men to identify and treat modifiable causes of infertility, as well as to monitor their risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, there is still insufficient evidence to support the routine use of some treatments and surgical interventions in clinical practice.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jan-Bernd Stukenborg, Rod T. Mitchell, Olle Soder
Summary: In recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of various reproductive disorders, potentially linked to exposure to environmental compounds or specific medications. Studies suggest that endocrine-disrupting chemicals may be associated with these disorders.
BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Erin L. McCullough, Emma Whittington, Akanksha Singh, Scott Pitnick, Mariana F. Wolfner, Steve Dorus
Summary: This study investigates the life history of Drosophila melanogaster sperm proteome and reveals substantial compositional changes after sperm are transferred to the female reproductive tract (FRT). Multiple seminal fluid proteins initially associate with sperm, but become undetectable after sperm storage. Female-derived proteins also associate with sperm immediately after mating, and contribute nearly 20% to the postmating sperm proteome after storage in the FRT. These female-derived proteins are enriched in processes associated with energy metabolism, suggesting their role in supporting sperm viability during the period between copulation and fertilization.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Guangxin Yao, Shengsong Xie, Xiaofeng Wan, Ling Zhang, Qiang Liu, Shuanggang Hu
Summary: The study identifies and characterizes rLcn13, a member of the rat epididymal lipocalin family. rLcn13 is found to be an epididymis-specific gene expressed predominantly in the initial segment and proximal caput epididymis, and influenced by androgen. The protein rLCN13 is modified by N-glycosylation, secreted into the epididymal lumen, and binds to the acrosome region of the sperm. The findings highlight the specific expression pattern and potential roles of rLcn13 in sperm maturation.
ACTA BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA SINICA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zijun Peng, Qiangzhen Yang, Ranna Yeerken, Jun Chen, Xurui Liu, Xinhong Li
Summary: Our study reveals that arsenic causes male reproductive toxicity through decreasing energy production, altering histone acetylation, and impairing cell junctions. These findings provide basic data for further studies on arsenic reproductive toxicity.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)