NIH R01 · 2024
Negative feedback regulation of growth factor signaling in adult spermatogonial stem cells
Abstract Niche-derived growth factors (GFs) are essential for establishing and maintaining mammalian spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) in the adult testis. In culture, however, optimal conditions for expansion of pure populations of self-renewing SSCs remain elusive. We recently found that mouse SSCs possess unexpectedly robust mechanisms to counter-regulate GF signaling by inducing expression of negative feedback regulators (NFRs), including members of the Spry and Dusp gene families. Abrogation of specific NFRs in SSCs led to increase ERK signaling, decreased expression of stem cell-associated genes in vitro and loss of stem cell activity upon transplantation, suggesting that excessive…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.