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Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development

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A special issue of Current Issues in Molecular Biology (ISSN 1467-3045). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 13355

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Dr. Huafeng Wang

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Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
Interests: membrane proteins; channels and their functional regulation in sperm; sperm and male fertility; reproduction; ion channel; cellular signaling; sperm function and male infertility
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sperm and eggs are central components in animals, and they must undergo elaborate challenges to transfer the genome to the next generation. This route utilizes meiosis, gametogenesis and fertilization—processes that are unique to germ cells and involved in extensive signaling regulation. Many details about reproduction in animals have remained mysterious since fertilization was explored in the 18^th and 19^th century. Given the developments of technologies and their applications in the reproduction field, further understanding the molecular mechanisms implicated in defective germ cell function, particularly dysfunctions arising from genetic abnormalities, is of the utmost importance not only for assessing the overall health of a patient but also for the development of infertility treatments.

This Special Issue aims to provide novel insights into germ cell development and function regulation, together with infertility diagnosis and treatment. It will discuss topics including but not limited to novel genes, proteins, signaling modification or regulation involved in gametogenesis, sperm selection and regulation, and fertilization. We are looking forward to receiving valuable contributions from researchers and academicians all around the world.

Dr. Huafeng Wang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

reproduction
fertilization
sperm
oocyte
signaling
infertility

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3643 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Signaling Transduction Pathways and G-Protein-Coupled Receptors in Different Stages of the Embryonic Diapause Termination Process in Artemia

by Tong Hao, Zhentao Song, Mingzhi Zhang and Lingrui Zhang

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2024, 46(4), 3676-3693; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46040229 - 20 Apr 2024

Viewed by 427

Abstract

Artemia is a widely distributed small aquatic crustacean, renowned for its ability to enter a state of embryonic diapause. The embryonic diapause termination (EDT) is closely linked to environmental cues, but the precise underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, ATAC-seq and RNA-seq sequencing techniques were employed to explore the gene expression profiles in Artemia cysts 30 min after EDT. These profiles were compared with those during diapause and 5 h after EDT. The regulatory mechanisms governing the EDT process were analyzed through Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, the active G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) were identified through structural analysis. The results unveiled that the signaling transduction during EDT primarily hinges on GPCRs and the cell surface receptor signaling pathway, but distinct genes are involved across different stages. Hormone-mediated signaling pathways and the tachykinin receptor signaling pathway exhibited heightened activity in the ‘0–30 min’ group, whereas the Wnt signaling pathway manifested its function solely in the ‘30 min–5 h’ group. These results imply a complete divergence in the mechanisms of signal regulation during these two stages. Moreover, through structural analysis, five GPCRs operating at different stages of EDT were identified. These findings provide valuable insights into the signal regulation mechanisms governing Artemia diapause. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development)

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12 pages, 1323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Associations between Sperm Epigenetic Age and Semen Parameters: An Evaluation of Clinical and Non-Clinical Cohorts

by Savni Sawant, Oladele A. Oluwayiose, Karolina Nowak, DruAnne L. Maxwell, Emily Houle, Amanda L. Paskavitz, Hachem Saddiki, Ricardo P. Bertolla and J. Richard Pilsner

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2024, 46(2), 1567-1578; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb46020101 - 16 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1013

Abstract

The well-documented relationship between chronological age and the sperm methylome has allowed for the construction of epigenetic clocks that estimate the biological age of sperm based on DNA methylation, which we previously termed sperm epigenetic age (SEA). Our lab demonstrated that SEA is positively associated with the time taken to achieve pregnancy; however, its relationship with semen parameters is unknown. A total of 379 men from the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and Environment (LIFE) study, a non-clinical cohort, and 192 men seeking fertility treatment from the Sperm Environmental Epigenetics and Development Study (SEEDS) were included in the study. Semen analyses were conducted for both cohorts, and SEA was previously generated using a machine learning algorithm and DNA methylation array data. Association analyses were conducted via multivariable linear regression models adjusting for BMI and smoking status. We found that SEA was not associated with standard semen characteristics in SEEDS and LIFE cohorts. However, SEA was significantly associated with higher sperm head length and perimeter, the presence of pyriform and tapered sperm, and lower sperm elongation factor in the LIFE study (p < 0.05). Based on our results, SEA is mostly associated with defects in sperm head morphological factors that are less commonly evaluated during male infertility assessments. SEA shows promise to be an independent biomarker of sperm quality to assess male fecundity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development)

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14 pages, 2268 KiB

Open AccessArticle

gjSOX9 Cloning, Expression, and Comparison with gjSOXs Family Members in Gekko japonicus

by Xingze Huang, Ruonan Zhao, Zhiwang Xu, Chuyan Fu, Lei Xie, Shuran Li, Xiaofeng Wang and Yongpu Zhang

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2023, 45(11), 9328-9341; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45110584 - 20 Nov 2023

Viewed by 711

Abstract

SOX9 plays a crucial role in the male reproductive system, brain, and kidneys. In this study, we firstly analyzed the complete cDNA sequence and expression patterns for SOX9 from Gekko japonicus SOX9 (gjSOX9), carried out bioinformatic analyses of physiochemical properties, structure, and phylogenetic evolution, and compared these with other members of the gjSOX family. The results indicate that gjSOX9 cDNA comprises 1895 bp with a 1482 bp ORF encoding 494aa. gjSOX9 was not only expressed in various adult tissues but also exhibited a special spatiotemporal expression pattern in gonad tissues. gjSOX9 was predicted to be a hydrophilic nucleoprotein with a characteristic HMG-Box harboring a newly identified unique sequence, “YKYQPRRR”, only present in SOXE members. Among the 20 SOX9 orthologs, gjSOX9 shares the closest genetic relationships with Eublepharis macularius SOX9, Sphacrodactylus townsendi SOX9, and Hemicordylus capensis SOX9. gjSOX9 and gjSOX10 possessed identical physicochemical properties and subcellular locations and were tightly clustered with gjSOX8 in the SOXE group. Sixteen gjSOX family members were divided into six groups: SOXB, C, D, E, F, and H with gjSOX8, 9, and 10 in SOXE among 150 SOX homologs. Collectively, the available data in this study not only facilitate a deep exploration of the functions and molecular regulation mechanisms of the gjSOX9 and gjSOX families in G. japonicus but also contribute to basic research regarding the origin and evolution of SOX9 homologs or even sex-determination mode in reptiles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development)

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16 pages, 4255 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) on Gamete Quality Parameters of Male Koi Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

by Kampan Bisai, Vikash Kumar, Arpita Roy, Satya Narayan Parida, Souvik Dhar, Basanta Kumar Das, Bijay Kumar Behera and Manoj Kumar Pati

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2023, 45(9), 7388-7403; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45090467 - 11 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1227

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated gamete quality parameters of mature male koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to three different concentrations (1, 10, and 100 µg/L) of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). After 60 days of exposure, there was a significant decrease in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of males exposed to 10 and 100 µg/L of DEHP. Histological analysis of the testes revealed impaired histoarchitecture, including inflammatory cells, intratubular vacuoles, and swollen seminiferous tubules in treatment groups. Gamete quality parameters like sperm production, motility, spermatocrit, and sperm density values were significantly decreased at the 10 and 100 µg/L concentrations. Biochemical compositions, including glucose, cholesterol, and total protein levels, were significantly changed in the treatment groups. Similarly, the ionic compositions of seminal fluid (Na, K, Ca, and Mg) also varied in the treatment groups. Furthermore, the 11-ketotestosterone levels were decreased, and the 17-β estradiol levels were increased in the DEHP-treated groups. The mRNA expression levels of reproduction-related genes, including Fshr, Lhr, Ar, Erα, and Erβ, were significantly changed in the DEHP-treated males in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the findings of this study confirmed that environmentally relevant exposure to DEHP may contribute to a decline in the gamete quality of male fishes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development)

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13 pages, 4817 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Co-Culture of Embryonic Stem Cells with Neural Stem Cells on Differentiation

by Ye Rim Kim, Si Won Jang, Jae Ho Han, Ga Rim Na, Hoon Jang and Hyun Woo Choi

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2022, 44(12), 6104-6116; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb44120416 - 5 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2415

Abstract

Researching the technology for in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into neural lineages is very important in developmental biology, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy. Thus, studies on in vitro differentiation of ESCs into neural lineages by co-culture are expected to improve our understanding of this process. A co-culture system has long been used to study interactions between cell populations, improve culture efficiency, and establish synthetic interactions between populations. In this study, we investigated the effect of a co-culture of ESCs with neural stem cells (NSCs) in two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions. Furthermore, we examined the effect of an NSC-derived conditioned medium (CM) on ESC differentiation. OG2-ESCs lost the specific morphology of colonies and Oct4-GFP when co-cultured with NSC. Additionally, real-time PCR analysis showed that ESCs co-cultured with NSCs expressed higher levels of ectoderm markers Pax6 and Sox1 under both co-culture conditions. However, the differentiation efficiency of CM was lower than that of the non-conditioned medium. Collectively, our results show that co-culture with NSCs promotes the differentiation of ESCs into the ectoderm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development)

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Review

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29 pages, 6492 KiB

Open AccessReview

RNA Helicase Vasa as a Multifunctional Conservative Regulator of Gametogenesis in Eukaryotes

by Vladimir E. Adashev, Alexei A. Kotov and Ludmila V. Olenina

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2023, 45(7), 5677-5705; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45070358 - 5 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1610

Abstract

Being a conservative marker of germ cells across metazoan species, DEAD box RNA helicase Vasa (DDX4) remains the subject of worldwide investigations thanks to its multiple functional manifestations. Vasa takes part in the preformation of primordial germ cells in a group of organisms and contributes to the maintenance of germline stem cells. Vasa is an essential player in the piRNA-mediated silencing of harmful genomic elements and in the translational regulation of selected mRNAs. Vasa is the top hierarchical protein of germ granules, liquid droplet organelles that compartmentalize RNA processing factors. Here, we survey current advances and problems in the understanding of the multifaceted functions of Vasa proteins in the gametogenesis of different eukaryotic organisms, from nematodes to humans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development)

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19 pages, 708 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sperm Cryopreservation Today: Approaches, Efficiency, and Pitfalls

by Sanja Ozimic, Helena Ban-Frangez and Martin Stimpfel

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2023, 45(6), 4716-4734; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb45060300 - 29 May 2023

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5109

Abstract

The cryopreservation of human spermatozoa has been an option for patients undergoing chemo or radiotherapies since the late 1950s. Presently, there are different techniques for the cryopreservation of spermatozoa. The most commonly used techniques are programmable slow freezing and freezing on liquid nitrogen vapors, while the use of vitrification is still not accepted as clinically relevant. Although there have been many improvements, the ideal technique for achieving better post-thaw sperm quality continues to be a mystery. A major obstacle during cryopreservation is the formation of intracellular ice crystals. Cryodamage generated by cryopreservation causes structural and molecular alterations in spermatozoa. Injuries can happen because of oxidative stress, temperature stress, and osmotic stress, which then result in changes in the plasma membrane fluidity, motility, viability, and DNA integrity of the spermatozoa. To prevent cryodamage as much as possible, cryoprotectants are added, and in some clinical trial cases, even antioxidants that may improve post-thaw sperm quality are added. This review discusses cryopreservation techniques, cryodamage on molecular and structural levels, and cryoprotectants. It provides a comparison of cryopreservation techniques and describes recent advances in those techniques. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reproductive Biology and Germ Cell Development)

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