Takayama Takeshi, Mishima Takuya, Mori Miki, Ishikawa Tomoko, Takizawa Takami, Goto Tadashi, Suzuki Mitsuaki, Araki Yoshihiko, Matsubara Shigeki, Takizawa Toshihiro
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachi-machi, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
Zygote. 2005 Nov;13(4):325-33. doi: 10.1017/S0967199405003394.
It is generally believed that cell-to-cell cross-talk and signal transduction are mediated by cell surface molecules that play diverse and important regulatory roles in spermatogenesis and fertilization. Recently, we identified a novel plasma membrane-associated protein, TES101-reactive protein (TES101RP, or TEX101), on mouse testicular germ cells. In this study, we investigate Tex101 mRNA expression in the adult mouse testis using in situ hybridization, and we examine the fate of TEX101 during sperm transport by immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses. Tex101 mRNA was expressed in a stage-specific manner in spermatocytes and in step 1-9 spermatids of the testis, but not in spermatogonia. Although the TEX101 protein remained on the cell surfaces of step 10-16 spermatids and testicular sperm, it was shed from epididymal sperm located in the caput epididymidis. The results of this study provide additional information on germ cell-specific TEX101 expression during spermatogenesis and post-testicular sperm maturation.
一般认为，细胞间的相互作用和信号转导是由细胞表面分子介导的，这些分子在精子发生和受精过程中发挥着多样且重要的调节作用。最近，我们在小鼠睾丸生殖细胞上鉴定出一种新的质膜相关蛋白，即TES101反应蛋白（TES101RP，或TEX101）。在本研究中，我们使用原位杂交技术研究成年小鼠睾丸中Tex101 mRNA的表达，并通过免疫组织化学和蛋白质印迹分析来检测TEX101在精子运输过程中的去向。Tex101 mRNA在睾丸中的精母细胞以及第1-9步的精子细胞中以阶段特异性方式表达，但在精原细胞中不表达。尽管TEX101蛋白保留在第10-16步精子细胞和睾丸精子的细胞表面，但它从位于附睾头的附睾精子上脱落。本研究结果为精子发生过程中生殖细胞特异性TEX101表达以及睾丸后精子成熟提供了更多信息。
