BACKGROUND Cancer-testis genes are a group of genes expressed in testicular germinal cells and a range of human cancers. Testis-specific gene A10 (TSGA10) is expressed in testis and actively dividing and fetal differentiating tissues. Mouse homologue (Tsga10) mRNA is translated to a 65kDa protein and appears to be processed to a major fibrous sheath protein of sperm tail. SYCP3 gene is supposed...

Although the number of genes known to be associated with bovine spermatogenesis has increased in the past few years, regulation of this biological process remains poorly understood. Therefore, discovery of new male fertility genetic markers is of great value for assisted selection in commercially important cattle breeds, e.g., Nelore, that have delayed reproductive maturation and low fertility ...

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as novel molecules of interest in gene regulation as other noncoding RNAs. Though they have been explored in some species and tissues, the expression and functions of circRNAs in human reproductive systems remain unknown. Here we revealed the expression profiles of circRNAs in human testis tissue using high-throughput sequencing. The conformation of these t...

Cryptorchidism and scrotal heating result in abnormal spermatogenesis, but the mechanism(s) prescribing this temperature sensitivity are unknown. It was previously reported that the AKR/N or MRL/MpJ-+/+ mouse testis is more heat-resistant than the testis from the C57BL/6 strain. We have attempted to probe into the mechanism(s) involved in heat sensitivity by examining global gene expression pro...

Sex determination refers to the developmental decision that directs the bipotential genital ridge to develop as a testis or an ovary. Genetic studies on mice and humans have led to crucial advances in understanding the molecular fundamentals of sex determination and the mutually antagonistic signaling pathway. In this review, we summarize the current molecular mechanisms of sex determination by...

Although many cancer vaccines have been developed against type I MAGE (melanoma antigen) genes owing to their shared tumour-specific expression properties, studies about their expression and functions are relatively limited. In the present study, we first identify a non-testis-specific type I MAGE gene, Mageb18 (melanoma antigen family B 18). Mouse Mageb18 is also expressed in digestion- and im...

Genes involved in human male sex determination and spermatogenesis are likely to be located on the Y chromosome. In an effort to identify Y-linked, testis-expressed genes, a cDNA selection library was generated by selecting testis cDNA with Y-cosmid clones. Resultant clones containing repetitive or vector material were eliminated, and 79 of the remaining clones were sequenced. Nineteen cDNAs sh...

This video and article contribution gives a comprehensive description of microinjection and electroporation of mouse testis in vivo. This particular transfection technique for testicular mouse cells allows the study of unique processes in spermatogenesis. The following protocol focuses on transfection of testicular mouse cells with plasmid constructs. Specifically, we used the reporter vector p...

OBJECTIVE Animal model studies have shown that MSY2 and JHDM2A genes have an important role in spermatogenesis process and fertility of male mice. But the potential role of these genes in human spermatogenesis and fertility is not known yet. Therefore, we evaluated expression ratios of these genes in testis tissues of men with normal and impaired spermatogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this...

Deletion of the distal short arm of chromosome 9 (9p) has been reported in a number of cases to be associated with gonadal dysgenesis and XY sex reversal, suggesting that this region contains one or more genes required in two copies for normal testis development. Recent studies have greatly narrowed the interval containing this putative autosomal testis-determining gene(s) to the distal portion...