Identification of Rat Testicular Leydig Precursor Cells by Single-Cell-RNA-Sequence Analysis.

ABSTRACT: Stem Leydig cells (SLCs) play a critical role in the development and maintenance of the adult Leydig cell (ALC) population. SLCs also are present in the adult testis. Their identification, characteristics, and regulation in the adult testis remain uncertain. Using single-cell RNA-seq, we found that the mesenchymal stromal population may be involved in ALC regeneration. Upon ALC elimination, a fraction of stromal cells begins to proliferate while a different fraction begins to differentiate to ALCs. Transcriptomic analysis identified five stromal clusters that can be classified into two major groups representing proliferation and differentiation populations. The proliferating group represents stem cells expressing high levels of CD90, Nes, Lum, Fn and Gap43. The differentiating group repres

SUBMITTER: Guan X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8887666 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature