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Updated: Oct 6, 2026

A Seminiferous Tubule Squash Technique for the Cytological Analysis of Spermatogenesis Using the Mouse Model
Published on: February 6, 2018
Transcriptional cascades during spermatogenesis: pivotal role of CREM and ACT
1Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS-INSERM-Université Louis Pasteur, B.P. 163, Illkirch, 67404 Strasbourg, France.
Abstract:
The gene CREM plays key physiological and developmental roles within the hypothalamic--pituitary--gonadal axis. We have previously shown that CREM is highly expressed in male postmeiotic cells. Spermiogenesis is a complex process by which postmeiotic male germ cells differentiate into mature spermatozoa. CREM regulates the expression of a number of post-meiotic genes involved in the process of spermiogenesis. Using homologous recombination we have generated CREM-mutant mice that display a complete block at the first step of spermiogenesis. The molecular mechanism by which CREM elicits its regulatory function involves ACT (Activator of CREM in Testis), a testis-specific coactivator constituted by a repeat of four and half LIM domains. ACT is coordinately expressed with CREM, associates with it and confers a powerful transcriptional activation function. It is able to bypass the classical requirement of CREM phosphorylation and recruiting of CBP.
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