Identification of quiescent FOXC2+ spermatogonial stem cells in adult mammals

Abstract

In adult mammals, spermatogenesis embodies the complex developmental process from spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) to spermatozoa. At the top of this developmental hierarchy lie a series of SSC subpopulations. Their individual identities as well as the relationships with each other, however, remain largely elusive. Using single-cell analysis and lineage tracing, we discovered both in mice and humans the quiescent adult SSC subpopulation marked specifically by forkhead box protein C2 (FOXC2). All spermatogenic progenies can be derived from FOXC2+ SSCs and the ablation of FOXC2+ SSCs led to the depletion of the undifferentiated spermatogonia pool. During germline regeneration, FOXC2+ SSCs were activated and able to completely restore the process. Germ cell-specific Foxc2 knockout resulted in an accelerated exhaustion of SSCs and eventually led to male infertility. Furthermore, FOXC2 prompts the expressions of negative regulators of cell cycle thereby ensures the SSCs reside in quiescence. Thus, this work proposes that the quiescent FOXC2+ SSCs are essential for maintaining the homeostasis and regeneration of spermatogenesis in adult mammals.