Specific transcription regulatory mechanisms of male germ cells

Spermatogenesis is a remarkable process in which spermatogonial stem cells differentiate first into primary spermatocytes that after two successive meiotic divisions undergo a major biochemical and structural reorganization of the haploid cells to generate mature elongate spermatids. Each of these steps is controlled by precise transcriptional regulatory programs that orchestrate this complex series of events. Genetic and biochemical approaches in model organisms such as Drosophila melanogaster and mouse have identified many of the factors involved and revealed mechanisms of action that are unique to male germ cells. Defects in these transcriptional programs have dramatic and often very specific effects on male fertility. As many of these factors and pathways are conserved in human spermatogenesis, the lessons learned from the study of these model organisms are likely to provide important insights into understanding the molecular mechanisms of human infertility. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.