Journal
BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
Volume 65, Issue 3, Pages 771-776Publisher
SOC STUDY REPRODUCTION
DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod65.3.771
Keywords
apoptosis; development; developmental biology; gene regulation; spermatogenesis; testis
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Funding
- Medical Research Council [U.1276.00.002(61055), MC_U127661055] Funding Source: Medline
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Dazl encodes an RNA-binding protein essential for spermatogenesis. Mice that are deficient for Dazl are infertile, lacking any formation of spermatozoa, and the only germ cells present are spermatogonia and a few spermatocytes. To gain more insight regarding the timing of the spermatogenic arrest in Dazl -/- mice, we studied the spermatogonial cell types present in testis sections and in seminiferous tubular whole mounts. Most of the seminiferous tubular cross-sections contained A spermatogonia as the most advanced cell type, with only very few containing cells up to pachytene spermatocytes. Both 5-bromodeoxy-uridine incorporation and mitotic index indicated that the remaining A spermatogonia were actively proliferating. C-kit immunohistochemical studies showed that most of the A spermatogonia were positively stained for the c-Kit protein (similar to 80%). The clonal composition of the A spermatogonia in tubular whole mounts indicated these cells to be A(single) (A(s)), A(paired) (A(pr)), and A(aligned) (A(al)) spermatogonia. It is concluded that the prime spermatogenic defect in the Dazl -/- mice is a failure of the great majority of the A(l), spermatogonia to differentiate into A, spermatogonia. As a result, most seminiferous tubules of Dazl -/- mice only contain actively proliferating A(s), A(pr), and A(al) spermatogonia, with cell production being equaled by apoptosis of these cells.
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