Long glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (L-GILZ) protein interacts with ras protein pathway and contributes to spermatogenesis control.

ABSTRACT: Correct function of spermatogonia is critical for the maintenance of spermatogenesis throughout life, but the cellular pathways regulating undifferentiated spermatogonia proliferation, differentiation, and survival are only partially known. We show here that long glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (L-GILZ) is highly expressed in spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes and controls spermatogenesis. Gilz deficiency in knock-out (gilz KO) mice leads to a complete loss of germ cell lineage within first cycles of spermatogenesis, resulting in male sterility. Spermatogenesis failure is intrinsic to germ cells and is associated with increased proliferation and aberrant differentiation of undifferentiated spermatogonia and with hyperactivity of Ras signaling pathway as indicated by an increase

SUBMITTER: Bruscoli S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3256913 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature