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The chromatoid body: a germ-cell-specific RNA-processing centre

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology volume 8, pages 85–90 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The chromatoid body, a unique cloud-like structure of male germ cells, moves dynamically in the cytoplasm of haploid spermatids, but its function has remained elusive for decades. Recent findings indicate that microRNA and RNA-decay pathways converge to the chromatoid body. This highly specialized structure might function as an intracellular focal domain that organizes and controls RNA processing in male germ cells.

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Figure 1: The CB is a dense fibrous structure in the cytoplasm of haploid round spermatids.
Figure 2: Schematic representation of transcriptional activity and appearance of the CB during spermatogenesis.
Figure 3: Model of chromatoid body function in haploid male germ cells.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to M. Parvinen for discussions and insights on the chromatoid body. We also thank W. Filipowicz, J. Toppari, D. Mishra Prasad and all the members of the Sassone-Corsi laboratory for help and discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Noora Kotaja is at the Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, 20520 Turku, Finland.,

    Noora Kotaja

  2. Paolo Sassone-Corsi is at the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA.,

    Paolo Sassone-Corsi

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  1. Noora Kotaja
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Correspondence to Paolo Sassone-Corsi.

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Supplementary information

Supplementary information S1 (movie)

Active and non-random movements of the chromatoid body.The chromatoid body (CB) moves both along, and perpendicularly against the nuclear envelope, and makes frequent contacts with the envelope. A stage-specific piece of rat seminiferous tubule was squashed on the glass slide1, and living-cell phase-contrast microscopy was performed to follow the movements of the CB. The video is provided by M. Parvinen, University of Turku, Finland. (MPG 5542 kb)

Reference

1. Kotaja, N. et al. Preparation, isolation and characterization of stage-specific spermatogenic cells for cellular and molecular analysis. Nature Methods 1, 249?254 (2004).

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Kotaja, N., Sassone-Corsi, P. The chromatoid body: a germ-cell-specific RNA-processing centre. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 8, 85–90 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm2081

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