Metabolic Pathways Regulating the Development and Non-genomic Heritable Traits of Germ Cells

Overview

Journal J Reprod Dev

Specialties Biology
Reproductive Medicine

Date 2021 Dec 27

PMID 34955463

Citations 3

Authors

Yasuhisa Matsui

Yohei Hayashi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Metabolism is an important cellular process necessary not only for producing energy and building blocks for cells, but also for regulating various cell functions, including intracellular signaling, epigenomic effects, and transcription. The regulatory roles of metabolism have been extensively studied in somatic cells, including stem cells and cancer cells, but data regarding germ cells are limited. Because germ cells produce individuals of subsequent generations, understanding the role of metabolism and its regulatory functions in germ cells is important. Although limited information concerning the specific role of metabolism in germ cells is available, recent advances in related research have revealed specific metabolic states of undifferentiated germ cells in embryos as well as in germ cells undergoing oogenesis and spermatogenesis. Studies have also elucidated the functions of some metabolic pathways associated with germ cell development and the non-genomic heritable machinery of germ cells. In this review, we summarized all the available knowledge on the characteristic metabolic pathways in germ cells, focusing on their regulatory functions, while discussing the issues that need to be addressed to enhance the understanding of germ cell metabolism.

Citing Articles

Control of epigenomic landscape and development of fetal male germ cells through L-serine metabolism.

Hayashi Y, Kaneko J, Ito-Matsuoka Y, Takehara A, Funakoshi M, Maezawa S iScience. 2024; 27(9):110702.

PMID: 39262797 PMC: 11388182. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110702.

Inheritance of environment-induced phenotypic changes through epigenetic mechanisms.

Tando Y, Matsui Y Environ Epigenet. 2023; 9(1):dvad008.

PMID: 38094661 PMC: 10719065. DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvad008.

Nutritional and metabolic control of germ cell fate through O-GlcNAc regulation.

Hayashi Y, Tando Y, Ito-Matsuoka Y, Ikuta K, Takehara A, Morino K EMBO Rep. 2023; 24(11):e56845.

PMID: 37842859 PMC: 10626443. DOI: 10.15252/embr.202356845.

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