Journal
JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY
Volume 32, Issue 4, Pages 444-463Publisher
AMER SOC ANDROLOGY, INC
DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.110.010694
Keywords
Spermatids; principal cells; efferent ducts; lysosomes; clear cells
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Funding
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- NIH [HD33903, HD56182]
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Cystatin-related epididymal spermatogenic protein (GRES) or cystatin 8 (Cst8 gene) is a member of the cystatin superfamily of cysteine protease inhibitors. It differs from typical cystatins because it lacks consensus sites for cysteine protease inhibition and exhibits reproductive-specific expression. In the present study, we examined GRES expression within the testes, efferent ducts, and epididymides of normal mice by light microscope immunolocalizaton. Alterations to these tissues in male mice lacking the Cst8 gene (Cst8(-/-)) were also characterized by histomorphometry and electron microscopy. In the normal testis, GRES was localized exclusively in mid and late elongating spermatids. In the efferent ducts, GRES was localized to the apical region of the epithelial cells suggestive of localization in the endosomes. In the initial segment of the epididymis, principal cells showed supranuclear and lumina! reactions. In the cauda region, CRES was present exclusively as aggregates in the lumen and was detected in clear cells. Compared with wild-type mice (Cst8(+/+)), older (10-12 months) Cst8(-/-) mice had modest but statistically
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