Cloning and analysis of mRNAs expressed specifically in the human epididymis

Differential cDNA screening identified four new genes that are expressed specifically in the human epididymis. Their corresponding mRNAs are relatively short, ranging from 0.7 to 1.0 kb, and belong to a class of abundant or moderately abundant transcripts. Tissue-specific expression was pronounced for all four sequences, which showed no hybridization signals with RNA from eight different human tissues. Cross-hybridization with epididymal RNAs from some non-rodent mammalian species was observed with two cDNAs; the remaining two transcripts failed to cross-hybridize with any of the animal epididymal RNAs tested.