Does murine spermatogenesis require WNT signalling? A lesson from Gpr177 conditional knockout mouse models.

ABSTRACT: Wingless-related MMTV integration site (WNT) proteins and several other components of the WNT signalling pathway are expressed in the murine testes. However, mice mutant for WNT signalling effector β-catenin using different Cre drivers have phenotypes that are inconsistent with each other. The complexity and overlapping expression of WNT signalling cascades have prevented researchers from dissecting their function in spermatogenesis. Depletion of the Gpr177 gene (the mouse orthologue of Drosophila Wntless), which is required for the secretion of various WNTs, makes it possible to genetically dissect the overall effect of WNTs in testis development. In this study, the Gpr177 gene was conditionally depleted in germ cells (Gpr177(flox/flox), Mvh-Cre; Gpr177(flox/flox), Stra8-Cre) and Sertoli

SUBMITTER: Chen SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5108341 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature