Publication: The cellular expression of GABAA receptor a1 subunit during spermatogenesis in the mouse testis
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Date
2010
Authors
Kanbara, Kiyoto ; Okamoto, Keiko ; Nomura, Sakashi ; Kaneko, Takeshi ; Watanabe, Masahito ; Otsuki, Yoshinori
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
GABAA receptors are pentamers in structure
and are mainly composed of α, ß and γ subunits. These
receptors are known to function as chloride channels. We
observed α5, ß1 and γ3 subunit immunoreactivity in the
mouse testes, specifically in the cytoplasm surrounding
the nucleus in the spermatocytes and spermatids. In the
current study, α1 subunit immunoreactivity was located
in the nucleus of spermatogonia, spermatocytes and
round spermatids. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed
that the α1 subunit was localized within the nucleus of
pachytene and diplotene spermatocytes in the area of
condensed chromatin rather than extended chromatin.
Protein sequence analysis revealed that the α1 subunit
included DM DNA binding domains that were related to
transcription factors involved in testicular differentiation
in adult mice. These findings suggest that the α1 subunit
may undertake a gene transcription function during the
maturation of germ cells. α1 immunoreactivity was also
detected within the mitochondria of spermatocytes and
in the acrosome of round and elongated spermatids.
Although the precise physiological role of the GABAA
receptor α1 subunit in mitochondria remains unknown,
we hypothesize that its function in the acrosome may be
related to the acrosome reaction during fertilization or
during spermatogenesis.
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