Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in rodent testis Presence of bFGF mRNA and of a 30 kDa bFGF protein in pachytene spermatocytes

FEBS Letters

Bucher, Sabine¹  Knöchel, Walter²  Seidl, Klaus³  Gratzl, Manfred¹  Lahr, Georgia¹  Grothe, Claudia⁴  Mayerhofer, Artur¹ 

[1] Abteilung Anatomie und Zellbiologie, Universität Ulm, D-7900 Ulm, Germany;Abteilung Biochemie, Universität Ulm, D-7900 Ulm, Germany;Institut für Hormon-und Fertilitätsforschung, D-2000 Hamburg, Germany;Institut für Anatomie und Zellbiologie, Phillipps Universität, D-3350 Marburg, Germany

关键词: Basic fibroblast growth factor;    Testis;    Mouse;    mRNA;    Germ cell;   

DOI  :  10.1016/0014-5793(92)80280-T

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

We have previously described a 30 kDa basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-like protein in rodent testicular homogenates and have shown that pachytene spermatocytes are the sites of predominant immunoreactivity for this bFGF-like protein (Mayerhofer, A., Russell, L.D., Grothe, C., Rudolf, M. and Gratzl, M. (1991) Endocrinology 129, 921–924). We have now addressed the question whether this 30 kDa bFGF-like protein is a large bFGF form and whether it is produced by pachytene spermatocytes. We detected bFGF mRNA in homogenates of isolated mouse spermatocytes (which consisted mainly of pachytene spermatocytes) using S1 nuclease protection assays. As shown by Western blot analyses, the bFGF mRNA in mouse spermatocytes is translated into bFGF of an approximate molecular weight of 30 kDa. Neither bFGF mRNA, nor bFGF itself, was observed in isolated mouse Leydig cells. These results indicate that the immunoreactive bFGF-like protein observed previously in germ cells of the murine testis is identical to bFGF. Thus, germ cells of the testis produce bFGF, which may exert regulatory function in the process of spermatogenesis.

【 授权许可】

Unknown