Differential expression of gap‐junction gene connexin 31 in seminiferous epithelium of rat testes

FEBS Letters

Luk, John M¹  Yeung, William S.B¹  Mok, Bobo W¹ 

[1] Departments of Surgery and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Hong Kong Medical Center Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

关键词: Connexin 31;    Gap junction;    Germ cell;    Seminiferous epithelium;    Spermatogenesis;    Cx;    connexin;    dpp;    days postpartum;    ISH;    in situ hybridization;    RT-PCR;    reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction;   

DOI  :  10.1016/S0014-5793(99)00714-0

学科分类：生物化学/生物物理

来源: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

Spermatogenesis, a tightly regulated developmental process of male germ cells in testis, is associated with temporal and spatial expression of certain gap-junction connexins. Our findings by RT-PCR indicate that the Cx31 gene is expressed in testis tissue of adult and postnatal rats. During the postnatal spermatogenic process, the Cx31-specific signal became detectable at 15 dpp and onward by in situ hybridization, and apparently localized in the basal compartment of seminiferous epithelium where active spermatogonia and early primary spermatocytes reside. No signal was found in the luminal region. In adult testes, spermatids of elongation phase were also Cx31 positive. Immunohistochemical analysis with mouse anti-Cx31 antibody gave a similar staining pattern, providing further evidence that the gap-junction protein is abundant in the basal seminiferous epithelium, in accordance with the cellular distribution of Cx31 mRNA. These results represent the first demonstration of Cx31 expression at both transcriptional and protein levels in the seminiferous epithelium of rat testes. Thus, Cx31 may play a role in cell-cell communication during spermatogenesis.

【 授权许可】

Unknown