title: Small noncoding RNAs and male infertility.
abstract: Small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a novel class of gene regulators that modulate gene expression at transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels, and they play crucial roles in almost all cellular processes in eukaryotes. Recent studies have indicated that several types of small noncoding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), endo-small interference RNAs (endo-siRNAs), and Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), are expressed in the male germline and are required for spermatogenesis in animals. In this review, we summarize the recent knowledge of these small noncoding RNAs in male germ cells and their biological functions and mechanisms of action in animal spermatogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Center for RNA Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology-University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Lan-Tao
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Gou
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Mo-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013091:Spermatogenesis
chemical_list: D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated