Figure 3
Huwe1 is important for entry into meiosis. (a) Inactivation of Huwe1 in the differentiating spermatogonia leads to a defect in proliferation. Representative immunofluorescence images of synchronized 8 dpRA WT and Stra8-Cre KO testis stained for Stra8 (red) and BrdU (green) (top panel). Stra8 + cells at the basement membrane of tubule are A1 differentiating spermatogonia; Stra8 + cells away from the basement membrane are pre-leptotene spermatocytes. The yellow arrowhead indicates an A1 differentiating spermatogonium and the white arrow indicates a pre-leptotene spermatocyte. Quantification from these images (bottom panel) WT, n = 5 (135 tubules), Stra8-Cre KO, n = 7 (271 tubules). Scale bar = 20 μm. (b) Expression of meiotic markers is decreased in the Stra8-Cre KO 8 dpRA testes. Q-PCR analysis of markers of meiosis (Spo11, Smc1b, Sycp1, Sycp3) on WT and Stra8-Cre KO 8 dpRA testes (WT, n = 5, Stra8-Cre KO, n = 6). (c) Disrupted formation of leptotene spermatocytes in Stra8-Cre KO 8 dpRA testes. Representative immunofluorescence images from WT and Stra8-Cre KO testis sections stained for SYCP3 (green). Scale bar = 20 μm. Data are shown as mean ± SEM. Student’s t-test. *p < 0.05.
