Inactivation of insulin-like factor 6 disrupts the progression of spermatogenesis at late meiotic prophase.

摘要: Insulin-like factor 6 (INSL6), a member of the insulin-like superfamily, is predominantly expressed in male germ cells. Expression Insl6 first detected mouse testis at postnatal d 15 when wave spermatogenesis progresses to pachytene spermatocytes. To elucidate role INSL6 cell development, we generated Insl6-deficient mice. The majority Insl6deficientmalesonahybridgeneticbackgroundexhibitedimpairedfertility,whereasfemaleswere fertile.Thenumberofmaturespermandspermmotilityweredrasticallyreducedintheepididymis. reduced sperm count could be due apoptotic death significant number developing Analysis development during juvenile life showed an arrest late meiotic prophase. RNA analysis revealed decrease expression meiotic- and postmeiotic-specific marker genes, whereas early meiotic-specific genes remains unaffected / testes. These results demonstrate that required for progression spermatogenesis. (Endocrinology 150: 4348–4357, 2009)