ArticleHuman reproduction (Oxford, England)2011
A survey of small RNAs in human sperm.
Article in Human reproduction (Oxford, England), 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 166 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
166 citing papers in PubMed, 402 citations in OpenAlex.
- Heat Stress and the Bull Sperm Transcriptome: Molecular Mechanisms, Fertility, and Epigenetic Inheritance.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Review
- Small RNA profile alterations as a potential mechanism for sperm quality improvement following varicocelectomy.Asian journal of andrology · 2026Article
- Environmentally-induced sperm RNAs shape placentation and fetal growth.Research square · 2026Article
- Sperm sncRNA networks are synchronized by a coordination between adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and current stress.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Epididymal extracellular vesicles harbor and convey mRNA to sperm for transfer to zygotes.Nucleic acids research · 2026Article
- Unravelling male infertility through epigenetics: present understanding and future challenges.Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society · 2026Review
- Methods for Investigating the Sperm Epigenome.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2026Review
- Low expression of hsa-miR-34c-5p in sperm is associated with unexplained recurrent miscarriage.Frontiers in genetics · 2026Article
- On the potential origin of the zygote-like cancer stem cell with a focus on fusion for cell rescue.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2026Article
- Development and Optimization of an RNA-Isolating Protocol for Mammalian Spermatozoa.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Paternal ribosome biogenesis dysfunction caused by cyclophosphamide-busulfan chemotherapy contributes to early embryonic developmental impairment in mice.Journal of translational medicine · 2025Article
- Sperm abnormality: Differential expression of microRNAs.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2025Review
- Review
- Copy number determination of sperm-borne small RNAs implied in the intergenerational inheritance of metabolic syndromes.RNA (New York, N.Y.) · 2025Article
- Exploration of Small Non-Coding RNAs as Molecular Markers of Ram Sperm Fertility.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- The composition of human sperm sncRNAome: a cross-country small RNA profiling.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2025Article
- Sperm epigenetics and sperm RNAs as drivers of male infertility: truth or myth?Molecular and cellular biochemistry · 2025Review
- Sperm-borne small non-coding RNAs: potential functions and mechanisms as epigenetic carriers.Cell & bioscience · 2025Review
- How do lifestyle and environmental factors influence the sperm epigenome? Effects on sperm fertilising ability, embryo development, and offspring health.Clinical epigenetics · 2025Review
- Genome-Wide microRNA Expression Profiling in Human Spermatozoa and Its Relation to Sperm Quality.Genes · 2025Article
106 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThere has been substantial interest in assessing whether RNAs (mRNAs and sncRNAs, i.e. small non-coding) delivered from mammalian spermatozoa play a functional role in early embryo development. While the cadre of spermatozoal mRNAs has been characterized, comparatively little is known about the distribution or function of the estimated 24,000 sncRNAs within each normal human spermatozoon.
methodsRNAs of <200 bases in length were isolated from the ejaculates from three donors of proved fertility. RNAs of 18-30 nucleotides in length were then used to construct small RNA Digital Gene Expression libraries for Next Generation Sequencing. Known sncRNAs that uniquely mapped to a single location in the human genome were identified.
resultsBioinformatic analysis revealed the presence of multiple classes of small RNAs in human spermatozoa. The primary classes resolved included microRNA (miRNAs) (≈ 7%), Piwi-interacting piRNAs (≈ 17%), repeat-associated small RNAs (≈ 65%). A minor subset of short RNAs within the transcription start site/promoter fraction (≈ 11%) frames the histone promoter-associated regions enriched in genes of early embryonic development. These have been termed quiescent RNAs.
conclusionsA complex population of male derived sncRNAs that are available for delivery upon fertilization was revealed. Sperm miRNA-targeted enrichment in the human oocyte is consistent with their role as modifiers of early post-fertilization. The relative abundance of piRNAs and repeat-associated RNAs suggests that they may assume a role in confrontation and consolidation. This may ensure the compatibility of the genomes at fertilization.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.