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TEX101 is shed from the surface of sperm located in the caput epididymidis of the mouse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2006

Takeshi Takayama
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachi-machi, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
Takuya Mishima
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Anatomy, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
Miki Mori
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Anatomy, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
Tomoko Ishikawa
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Anatomy, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
Takami Takizawa
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Anatomy, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
Tadashi Goto
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Anatomy, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
Mitsuaki Suzuki
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachi-machi, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
Yoshihiko Araki
Affiliation:
Institute for Environmental and Gender-Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba 279-0021, Japan.
Shigeki Matsubara
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jichi Medical School, Minamikawachi-machi, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
Toshihiro Takizawa
Affiliation:
Department of Molecular Anatomy, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.

Abstract

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.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2005 Cambridge University Press

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