Fascin 1 is an actin filament-bundling protein that regulates ectoplasmic specialization dynamics in the rat testis.

ABSTRACT: In the testis, spermatids are polarized cells, with their heads pointing toward the basement membrane during maturation. This polarity is crucial to pack the maximal number of spermatids in the seminiferous epithelium so that millions of sperms can be produced daily. A loss of spermatid polarity is detected after rodents are exposed to toxicants (e.g., cadmium) or nonhormonal male contraceptives (e.g., adjudin), which is associated with a disruption on the expression and/or localization of polarity proteins. In the rat testis, fascin 1, an actin-bundling protein found in mammalian cells, was expressed by Sertoli and germ cells. Fascin 1 was a component of the ectoplasmic specialization (ES), a testis-specific anchoring junction known to confer spermatid adhesion and polarity. Its expressio

SUBMITTER: Gungor-Ordueri NE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4216949 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature