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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Determination of Reproductive Competence by Confirming Pubertal Onset and Performing a Fertility Assay in Mice and Rats
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Mice lacking FABP9/PERF15 develop sperm head abnormalities but are fertile.

Vimal Selvaraj1, Atsushi Asano, Jennifer L Page

  • 1Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. vs88@cornell.edu

Developmental Biology
|October 6, 2010
PubMed
Summary

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Male germ cell-specific fatty acid-binding protein 9 (FABP9) plays a minor role in sperm head formation. FABP9 deficiency in mice resulted in minor sperm head abnormalities but did not affect fertility or sperm function.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Spermatogenesis

Background:

  • Male germ cell-specific fatty acid-binding protein 9 (FABP9/PERF15) is a key component of the sperm.
  • FABP9's association with the cytoskeleton and its upregulation during apoptosis and capacitation suggest diverse functions.
  • Previous hypotheses proposed FABP9 tethers sperm membranes to the cytoskeleton.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the specific functions of FABP9 in male reproduction.
  • To determine the role of FABP9 in sperm head morphology and function using gene-targeted mice.

Main Methods:

  • Targeted gene disruption to create FABP9 knockout (FABP9(-/-)) mice.
  • Phenotypic analysis of FABP9(-/-) mice, including sperm head morphology and epididymal sperm counts.

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  • Assessment of sperm membrane tethering and fatty acid composition.

    • Main Results:

    • FABP9(-/-) mice were viable and fertile with no significant impact on epididymal sperm numbers.
    • A minor increase in sperm head abnormalities was observed in FABP9(-/-) mice (~8%).
    • Approximately 10% of FABP9(-/-) sperm showed reduction or absence of the ventral spur; membrane tethering and fatty acid composition remained unaffected.

    Conclusions:

    • FABP9 plays a limited role in establishing the characteristic murine sperm head shape.
    • FABP9 is not essential for spermatogenesis or overall sperm function.
    • The protein's primary role may be structural, contributing to the ventral spur formation.