| First Author | Chang YF | Year | 2011 |
| Journal | PLoS One | Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 11 | Pages | e28039 |
| PubMed ID | 22125654 | Mgi Jnum | J:180951 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5308468 | Doi | 10.1371/journal.pone.0028039 |
| Citation | Chang YF, et al. (2011) Role of beta-catenin in post-meiotic male germ cell differentiation. PLoS One 6(11):e28039 |
| abstractText | Though roles of beta-catenin signaling during testis development have been well established, relatively little is known about its role in postnatal testicular physiology. Even less is known about its role in post-meiotic germ cell development and differentiation. Here, we report that beta-catenin is highly expressed in post-meiotic germ cells and plays an important role during spermiogenesis in mice. Spermatid-specific deletion of beta-catenin resulted in significantly reduced sperm count, increased germ cell apoptosis and impaired fertility. In addition, ultrastructural studies show that the loss of beta-catenin in post-meiotic germ cells led to acrosomal defects, anomalous release of immature spermatids and disruption of adherens junctions between Sertoli cells and elongating spermatids (apical ectoplasmic specialization; ES). These defects are likely due to altered expression of several genes reportedly involved in Sertoli cell-germ cell adhesion and germ cell differentiation, as revealed by gene expression analysis. Taken together, our results suggest that beta-catenin is an important molecular link that integrates Sertoli cell-germ cell adhesion with the signaling events essential for post-meiotic germ cell development and maturation. Since beta-catenin is also highly expressed in the Sertoli cells, we propose that binding of germ cell beta-catenin complex to beta-catenin complex on Sertoli cell at the apical ES surface triggers a signaling cascade that regulates post-meiotic germ cell differentiation. |
