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The Chromatoid Body and microRNA Pathways in Male Germ Cells

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The Genetics of Male Infertility

Abstract

The chromatoid body (CB) is a finely filamentous, lobulated perinuclear granule located in the cytoplasm of male germ cells. The role of the CB in the mouse has remained elusive, although it was proposed to be involved in RNA storing and metabolism. We have found that the CB is related to the RNA processing body of somatic cells and that it seems to operate as an intracellular nerve center of the microRNA (miRNA) pathway. Our findings underscore the importance of posttranscriptional gene regulation and of the miRNA pathway in the control of postmeiotic male germ cell differentiation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Martti Parvinen MD, PhD

  2. Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch-Strasbourg, France

    Noora Kotaja PhD

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Gillespie Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA

    Durga Prasad Mishra PhD

  4. Department of Pharmacology, Gillespie Neuroscience, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA

    Paolo Sassone-Corsi PhD

Authors
  1. Martti Parvinen MD, PhD
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  2. Noora Kotaja PhD
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  3. Durga Prasad Mishra PhD
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  4. Paolo Sassone-Corsi PhD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Surgery (Urology), Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Physiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT

    Douglas T. Carrell PhD

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© 2007 Humana Press Inc.

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Parvinen, M., Kotaja, N., Mishra, D.P., Sassone-Corsi, P. (2007). The Chromatoid Body and microRNA Pathways in Male Germ Cells. In: Carrell, D.T. (eds) The Genetics of Male Infertility. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-176-5_12

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