Transcriptome profiling of the initial segment and proximal caput of mouse epididymis

BackgroundThe proximal region of the mouse epididymis plays a pivotal role in sperm transport, sperm maturation, and male fertility. Several studies have focused on segment-dependent gene expression of the mouse epididymis through high-throughput sequencing without the precision of the microdissection. Methods and resultsHerein, we isolated the initial segment (IS) and proximal caput (P-caput) by physical microdissection using an Lcn9-cre; Rosa26(tdTomato) mouse model. We defined the transcriptome changes of caput epididymis by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), which identified 1,961 genes that were abundantly expressed in the IS and 1,739 genes that were prominently expressed in the P-caput. In addition, we found that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were predominantly or uniquely expressed in the epididymis and region-specific genes were highly associated with transport, secretion, sperm motility, fertilization, and male fertility. ConclusionThus, this study provides an RNA-seq resource to identify region-specific genes in the caput epididymis. The epididymal-selective/specific genes are potential targets for male contraception and may provide new insights into understanding segment-specific epididymal microenvironment-mediated sperm transport, maturation, and male fertility.

Automated summary

Using physical microdissection, researchers isolated the initial segment (IS) and proximal caput (P-caput) of the mouse epididymis and identified region-specific genes through RNA sequencing. These genes were found to be associated with sperm transport, maturation, and male fertility, making them potential targets for male contraception and providing insights into the epididymal microenvironment.