Developmental expression of p63 in the mouse testis
Abstract
p63 is a member of the p53 gene family and have structural similarities with p53. p63 encodes for multiple isotypes either with N-terminal transactivation domain (TAp63) or without it (DeltaNp63). In the mammalian testis, it has been shown that p53 plays important roles in the regulation of germ cell apoptosis and meiosis. However, little is known for the physiological function of p63 in the mammalian spermatogenesis. To investigate the potential roles of p63 in the developing mouse testis, we examined the expression pattern of p63 in the mouse testis from birth to adulthood. In addition to the TAp63 mRNA which was continuously expressed in the developing testis, transcripts encoding DeltaNp63 was detected at specific stages of testicular development by RT-PCR, from postnatal day 1 to day 7 and from 3 weeks to 4 weeks after birth. Western blot analysis of whole testis lysates with anti-p63 antibody revealed an approximately 68 kD band throughout development and a less abundant protein at 60 kD in the earlier period of postnatal development. Immunopositive reactions for p63 were observed as early as 10 days after birth and p63 protein was localized to the nuclei of spermatocytes and round spermatids. These findings strongly sugg...Continue Reading
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Apoptosis
Apoptosis is a specific process that leads to programmed cell death through the activation of an evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway leading to pathognomic cellular changes distinct from cellular necrosis