A comprehensive atlas of testicular interstitium reveals Cd34+/Sox4+ mesenchymal cells as potential Leydig cell progenitors [scRNA-Seq]

Decreasing fertility rates has emerged as a significant social and medical concern, with male infertility accounting for at least half of the cases. Conventional semen analysis offers restricted prognostic utility for male fertility, largely because a considerable number of male infertility incidents are attributed to dysfunctions in the testicular interstitium. Here we have not only characterized transcriptome data and reveals Cd34+/Sox4+ mesenchymal cells as potential Leydig cell progenitor, but also examined super enhancers information in both young, adult and aged mice Leydig cell progenitors. Our findings reveal A comprehensive atlas of testicular interstitium during aging in both H3K27ac modifications and gene expression alterations. Specifically, the transcriptional activities of key genes involved in progenitor stemness appear to be regulated by super-enhancers. These discoveries offer pivotal insights for developing novel cell-based therapies to ameliorate testicular dysfunction in older individuals. Overall design: To investigate the gene expression and histone modifications changes , we utilized scRNA-seq to delve into the molecular diversity patterns of Leydig cells within the testicular interstitium across postnatal development and aging.