Decoding the RNA Regulatory Network in Medaka (<i>Oryzias latipes</i>) Spermatogenesis: Insights from a Germ Cell Reprogramming Model.

ABSTRACT: Spermatogenesis is a sophisticated process coordinated by germ cells and the somatic microenvironment. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), key components of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks, form intricate post-transcriptional regulatory systems by sequestering microRNAs (miRNAs). However, the specific functions of these networks in spermatogenesis, particularly regarding the cell-intrinsic regulatory programs of germ cells, remain poorly understood. To address this, we utilized a unique foxl3 mutant model in medaka (Oryzias latipes), in which XX female germ cells spontaneously transdifferentiate into functional sperm within the ovarian somatic environment. This model enables the functional enrichment of core spermatogenic programs largely independent of male-specific somati

SUBMITTER: Zhou M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12896521 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature