Rat testis motor proteins associated with spermatid translocation (dynein) and spermatid flagella (kinesin-II)

In this study, we report sites in the seminiferous epithelium of the rat testis that are immunoreactive with antibodies to the intermediate chain of cytoplasmic dynein and kinesin II. The study was done to determine whether or not microtubule-dependent motor proteins are present in Sertoli cell regions involved with spermatid translocation. Sections and epithelial fragments of perfusion-fixed rat testis were probed with an antibody (clone 74.1) to the intermediate chain of cytoplasmic dynein (IC74) and to kinesin-II. Labeling with the antibody to cytoplasmic dynein was dramatically evident in Sertoli cell regions surrounding apical crypts containing attached spermatids and known to contain unique intercellular attachment plaques. The antibody to kinesin II reacted only with spermatid tails. The levels of cytoplasmic dynein visible on immunoblots of supernatants collected from spermatid/junction complexes treated with an actin-severing enzyme (gelsolin) were greater than those of controls, indicating that at least some of the dynein may have been associated with Sertoli cell junction plaques attached to spermatids. Results are consistent with the conclusion that an isoform of cytoplasmic dynein may be responsible for the apical translocation of elongate spermatids that occurs before sperm release. Also, this is the first report of kinesin-II in mammalian spermatid tails.