MEK/ERK signaling directly and indirectly contributes to the cyclical self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells.

ABSTRACT: Coordination of stem cell fate is regulated by extrinsic niche signals and stem cell intrinsic factors. In mammalian testes, spermatogonial stem cells maintain constant production of abundant spermatozoa by alternating between self-renewal and differentiation at regular intervals according to a periodical program known as the seminiferous epithelial cycle. Although retinoic acid (RA) signaling has been suggested to direct the cyclical differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells, it remains largely unclear how their cycle-dependent self-renewal/proliferation is regulated. Here, we show that MEK/ERK signaling contributes to the cyclical activity of spermatogonial stem cells. We found that ERK1/2 is periodically activated in Sertoli cells during the stem cell self-renewal/proliferation phase

SUBMITTER: Hasegawa K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3834200 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature