Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (571 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Male germ cells derived from spermatogonia. The euploid primary spermatocytes undergo meiosis and give rise to the haploid secondary spermatocytes which in turn give rise to spermatids.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Spermatocyte; Spermiocytes; Spermiocyte.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Spermatozoa
- See also
- Sperm Maturation
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 4,411 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Spermatocytes” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 477 of them (10.8%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 1,839 records.
Reviews account for 144 records (3.3%) and meta-analyses for 0. Randomized controlled trials number 0 (0.0%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 1,839 |
| 2000-2009 | 1,038 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,057 |
| 2020 onward | 477 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 144 | 3.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 0 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 0 | 0.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Spermatocytes"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staged developmental mapping and X chromosome transcriptional dynamics during mouse spermatogenesis | 2019 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 247 | cc by PMID 30890697 · DOI · PMC6424977 |
| Testis single-cell RNA-seq reveals the dynamics of de novo gene transcription and germline mutational bias in Drosophila | 2019 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 157 | cc by PMID 31418408 · DOI · PMC6697446 |
| ATM and PRDM9 regulate SPO11-bound recombination intermediates during meiosis | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 107 | cc by PMID 32051414 · DOI · PMC7016097 |
| Dysregulation of N-glycosylation by Rpn1 knockout in spermatocytes induces male infertility via endoplasmic reticulum stress in mice | 2025 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 7 | cc by PMID 40083683 · DOI · PMC11900820 |
Staged developmental mapping and X chromosome transcriptional dynamics during mouse spermatogenesis [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Male gametes are generated through a specialised differentiation pathway involving a series of developmental transitions that are poorly characterised at the molecular level.
- Closing excerpt
- This identifies a set of genes strongly repressed by H3K9me3 in spermatocytes, which then undergo extensive chromatin remodelling post-meiosis, thus acquiring an active chromatin state and spermatid-specific expression.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (142 words)
Male gametes are generated through a specialised differentiation pathway involving a series of developmental transitions that are poorly characterised at the molecular level. Here, we use droplet-based single-cell RNA-Sequencing to profile spermatogenesis in adult animals and at multiple stages during juvenile development. By exploiting the first wave of spermatogenesis, we both precisely stage germ cell development and enrich for rare somatic cell-types and spermatogonia. To capture the full complexity of spermatogenesis including cells that have low transcriptional activity, we apply a statistical tool that identifies previously uncharacterised populations of leptotene and zygotene spermatocytes. Focusing on post-meiotic events, we characterise the temporal dynamics of X chromosome re-activation and profile the associated chromatin state using CUT&RUN. This identifies a set of genes strongly repressed by H3K9me3 in spermatocytes, which then undergo extensive chromatin remodelling post-meiosis, thus acquiring an active chromatin state and spermatid-specific expression.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 30890697 · DOI · PMC6424977
Testis single-cell RNA-seq reveals the dynamics of de novo gene transcription and germline mutational bias in Drosophila [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The testis is a peculiar tissue in many respects.
- Closing excerpt
- By elucidating the distribution of genetic novelties across spermatogenesis, this study provides a deeper understanding of how the testis maintains its core reproductive function while being a hotbed of evolutionary innovation.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (150 words)
The testis is a peculiar tissue in many respects. It shows patterns of rapid gene evolution and provides a hotspot for the origination of genetic novelties such as de novo genes, duplications and mutations. To investigate the expression patterns of genetic novelties across cell types, we performed single-cell RNA-sequencing of adult Drosophila testis. We found that new genes were expressed in various cell types, the patterns of which may be influenced by their mode of origination. In particular, lineage-specific de novo genes are commonly expressed in early spermatocytes, while young duplicated genes are often bimodally expressed. Analysis of germline substitutions suggests that spermatogenesis is a highly reparative process, with the mutational load of germ cells decreasing as spermatogenesis progresses. By elucidating the distribution of genetic novelties across spermatogenesis, this study provides a deeper understanding of how the testis maintains its core reproductive function while being a hotbed of evolutionary innovation.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 31418408 · DOI · PMC6697446
ATM and PRDM9 regulate SPO11-bound recombination intermediates during meiosis [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Meiotic recombination is initiated by SPO11-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs).
- Closing excerpt
- Thus, in addition to governing SPO11 breakage, ATM and PRDM9 are critical local regulators of mammalian SPO11 processing.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (148 words)
Meiotic recombination is initiated by SPO11-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs). In most mammals, the methyltransferase PRDM9 guides SPO11 targeting, and the ATM kinase controls meiotic DSB numbers. Following MRE11 nuclease removal of SPO11, the DSB is resected and loaded with DMC1 filaments for homolog invasion. Here, we demonstrate the direct detection of meiotic DSBs and resection using END-seq on mouse spermatocytes with low sample input. We find that DMC1 limits both minimum and maximum resection lengths, whereas 53BP1, BRCA1 and EXO1 play surprisingly minimal roles. Through enzymatic modifications to END-seq, we identify a SPO11-bound meiotic recombination intermediate (SPO11-RI) present at all hotspots. We propose that SPO11-RI forms because chromatin-bound PRDM9 asymmetrically blocks MRE11 from releasing SPO11. In Atm-/- spermatocytes, trapped SPO11 cleavage complexes accumulate due to defective MRE11 initiation of resection. Thus, in addition to governing SPO11 breakage, ATM and PRDM9 are critical local regulators of mammalian SPO11 processing.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 32051414 · DOI · PMC7016097
Dysregulation of N-glycosylation by Rpn1 knockout in spermatocytes induces male infertility via endoplasmic reticulum stress in mice [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- N-glycosylation protein modification plays a crucial regulatory role in numerous biological processes, although their contribution to male reproduction in mammals remains largely undefined.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings highlight the essential physiological functions of N-glycosylation modification in male spermatogenesis and expand our understanding of its role in male fertility.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (131 words)
N-glycosylation protein modification plays a crucial regulatory role in numerous biological processes, although their contribution to male reproduction in mammals remains largely undefined. Here, we found that Ribophorin I (RPN1), a subunit of oligosaccharyltransferase complex, is indispensable for spermatogenesis in male germ cells. Germ cell-specific Rpn1 knockout results in significant inhibition of the progression of meiosis, consequently disrupting homologous chromosome pairing, meiotic recombination, and DNA double strand breaks repair during meiosis. N-glycoproteomic profiling revealed that glycosylation levels are reduced in endoplasmic reticulum-associated proteins, while functional analyses showed that Rpn1 deficiency could inhibit endoplasmic reticulum function and trigger endoplasmic reticulum stress during meiosis and increasing apoptosis levels in mice. These findings highlight the essential physiological functions of N-glycosylation modification in male spermatogenesis and expand our understanding of its role in male fertility.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 40083683 · DOI · PMC11900820
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Sex matters in meiosis [5]
- Research article Regulation of spermatogonial stem cell self-renewal and spermatocyte meiosis by Sertoli cell signaling [6]
- Research article A possible meiotic function of the peculiar patterns of gene expression in mammalian spermatogenic cells [7]
- Research article Surfing the wave, cycle, life history, and genes/proteins expressed by testicular germ cells. Part 1: background to spermatogenesis, spermatogonia, and spermatocytes [8]
- Research article Surfing the wave, cycle, life history, and genes/proteins expressed by testicular germ cells. Part 2: changes in spermatid organelles associated with development of spermatozoa [9]
- Research article Genetics of germ cell development [10]
References
- Ernst C, Eling N, Martinez-Jimenez CP, Marioni JC, Odom DT. Staged developmental mapping and X chromosome transcriptional dynamics during mouse spermatogenesis. . 2019. PMID 30890697 · DOI · PMC6424977
- Witt E, Benjamin S, Svetec N, Zhao L. Testis single-cell RNA-seq reveals the dynamics of de novo gene transcription and germline mutational bias in Drosophila. . 2019. PMID 31418408 · DOI · PMC6697446
- Paiano J, Wu W, Yamada S, Sciascia N, Callen E, Paola Cotrim A, et al.. ATM and PRDM9 regulate SPO11-bound recombination intermediates during meiosis. . 2020. PMID 32051414 · DOI · PMC7016097
- Zhang M, Li M, Li H, Wan Y, Yang S, Ji S, et al.. Dysregulation of N-glycosylation by Rpn1 knockout in spermatocytes induces male infertility via endoplasmic reticulum stress in mice. . 2025. PMID 40083683 · DOI · PMC11900820
- Hunt PA, Hassold TJ. Sex matters in meiosis. Science. 2002. PMID 12077403 · DOI
- Chen SR, Liu YX. Regulation of spermatogonial stem cell self-renewal and spermatocyte meiosis by Sertoli cell signaling. Reproduction. 2015. PMID 25504872 · DOI
- Kleene KC. A possible meiotic function of the peculiar patterns of gene expression in mammalian spermatogenic cells. Mech Dev. 2001. PMID 11472831 · DOI
- Hermo L, Pelletier RM, Cyr DG, Smith CE. Surfing the wave, cycle, life history, and genes/proteins expressed by testicular germ cells. Part 1: background to spermatogenesis, spermatogonia, and spermatocytes. Microsc Res Tech. 2010. PMID 19941293 · DOI
- Hermo L, Pelletier RM, Cyr DG, Smith CE. Surfing the wave, cycle, life history, and genes/proteins expressed by testicular germ cells. Part 2: changes in spermatid organelles associated with development of spermatozoa. Microsc Res Tech. 2010. PMID 19941292 · DOI
- Lesch BJ, Page DC. Genetics of germ cell development. Nat Rev Genet. 2012. PMID 23044825 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.