Antlers on does: An unexpected role of macrophages in deer biology.

ABSTRACT: Antlers, a male deer secondary sex characteristic, are unique mammalian appendages that fully regenerate annually, under androgen regulation. Stem cells located in the antlerogenic periosteum (AP), a tissue overlaying the frontal crest of both male and female deer, play a crucial role in antlerogenesis. Nonetheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms as to how antlerogenesis is regulated by androgens remain largely unexplored. Here, we show that androgens regulate antler growth via macrophages. Bulk RNA sequencing revealed a significant enrichment of immune-related factors in the androgen-activated antlerogenic periosteum (AAP), and single-cell RNA sequencing identified a cluster of AAP cells overexpressing macrophage chemokine CCL2. Additionally, the presence of a substantial number of m

SUBMITTER: Wang D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12184406 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature