title: MicroRNAs and DNA methylation as epigenetic regulators of mitosis, meiosis and spermiogenesis.
abstract: Spermatogenesis is composed of three distinctive phases, which include self-renewal of spermatogonia via mitosis, spermatocytes undergoing meiosis I/II and post-meiotic development of haploid spermatids via spermiogenesis. Spermatogenesis also involves condensation of chromatin in the spermatid head before transformation of spermatids to spermatozoa. Epigenetic regulation refers to changes of heritably cellular and physiological traits not caused by modifications in the DNA sequences of the chromatin such as mutations. Major advances have been made in the epigenetic regulation of spermatogenesis. In this review, we address the roles and mechanisms of epigenetic regulators, with a focus on the role of microRNAs and DNA methylation during mitosis, meiosis and spermiogenesis. We also highlight issues that deserve attention for further investigation on the epigenetic regulation of spermatogenesis. More importantly, a thorough understanding of the epigenetic regulation in spermatogenesis will provide insightful information into the etiology of some unexplained infertility, offering new approaches for the treatment of male infertility.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Chencheng
authors: C
authors: Yao
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Sun
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Minghui
authors: M
authors: Niu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Qingqing
authors: Q
authors: Yuan
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Yanan
authors: Y
authors: Hai
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Guo
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Zheng
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Jingmei
authors: J
authors: Hou
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China.
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Human Sperm Bank, 145 Shangdong Road, Shanghai 200001, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction and Reproductive GeneticsShanghai 200127, ChinaShanghai Key Laboratory of Reproductive MedicineShanghai 200025, China State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related GenesSchool of Medicine, Renji-Med X Clinical Stem Cell Research Center, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujiang Road, Shanghai 200127, ChinaDepartment of UrologySchool of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Ren Ji Hospital, Shangha
authors: Zuping
authors: Z
authors: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008938:Mitosis / Q000235:genetics*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs