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Abstract
Continual spermatogenesis relies on a foundational population of self-renewing spermatogonial stem cells(SSCs) along with a diverse population of somatic support cells. The formation of this system has been intensely studied in rodents but remains poorly defined in higher order mammals. To bridge this gap in knowledge, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of early fetal to pre-pubertal porcine testes contextualized against previous scRNA-seq publications in the mouse and human. Clustering analysis revealed species-specific and evolutionary conserved gene expression in germ cells. Additionally, we provide the first in-depth characterization of germ cell mitotic arrest in the fetal pig testis via proliferation marker immunofluorescence staining. Collectively, these findings provide a gateway into the molecular underpinnings of the developing porcine testis, establish key correlations among mammalian testis development, and will enable future discoveries into livestock reproductive and human male infertility diagnosis and treatment.
