Deficiency of the Tmem232 Gene Causes Male Infertility with Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagellum in Mice.

ABSTRACT: The axoneme and accessory structures of flagella are critical for sperm motility and male fertilization. Sperm production needs precise and highly ordered gene expression to initiate and sustain the many cellular processes that result in mature spermatozoa. Here, we identified a testis enriched gene transmembrane protein 232 (Tmem232), which is essential for the structural integrity of the spermatozoa flagella axoneme. Tmem232 knockout mice were generated for in vivo analyses of its functions in spermatogenesis. Phenotypic analysis showed that deletion of Tmem232 in mice causes male-specific infertility. Transmission electron microscopy together with scanning electron microscopy were applied to analyze the spermatozoa flagella and it was observed that the lack of TMEM2

SUBMITTER: He X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10296807 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature