| First Author | Mahato D | Year | 2000 |
| Journal | Endocrinology | Volume | 141 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 1273-6 |
| PubMed ID | 10698205 | Mgi Jnum | J:60635 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:1353746 | Doi | 10.1210/endo.141.3.7439 |
| Citation | Mahato D, et al. (2000) Spermatogenic cells do not require estrogen receptor-alpha for development or function [see comments]. Endocrinology 141(3):1273-6 |
| abstractText | Estrogen receptors alpha (ERalpha) and beta (ERbeta) are ligand-dependent transcription factors and members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily encoded by separate genes. Male mice homozygous for a mutation in the gene encoding ERalpha are infertile. To determine whether germ cells or somatic cells require ERalpha, germ cells were transplanted from donor males homozygous for the mutation (ERalpha-/-) to testes of wild-type (ERalpha+/+) recipient mice depleted of germ cells. The recipients served as 'surrogate fathers' for the infertile ERalpha-/- males. When mated to wild-type females, the recipients sired offspring heterozygous for the mutation (ERalpha+/-) and carrying the coat-color marker of the ERalpha-/- donor mice. These studies show that male germ cells do not require ERalpha for development or to function in fertilization, and imply that male ERalpha-/- mice are infertile due to disruption of estrogen action within somatic cells of the male reproductive system. |
