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Updated: May 1, 2026
Isolation of Sertoli Cells and Peritubular Cells from Rat Testes
Published on: February 8, 2016
cDNA cloning and localization of Sp3111 (also called Ms4a14) in the rat testis
Yan Xu1, Miao Liu1, Yi-hua Gu1
1Medical School of Fudan UniversityShanghai, ChinaCenter for Biomedical ResearchPopulation Council, New York, New York, USAThe Rockefeller UniversityNew York, New York, USANational Population and Family Planning Key Laboratory of Contraceptive Drugs and DevicesShanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Shanghai, ChinaDepartment of AnatomyHistology and Embryology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
With tetraspanning topology, members of the membrane-spanning four-domain subfamily A (MS4A) may facilitate signaling or ion channel functions in many tissues. In this study, we report the cloning of a full-length cDNA from rat testis, designated Ms4a14 (Sp3111), which encodes the MS4A protein with 1139 amino acid residues. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses indicate that Ms4a14 is predominantly expressed from round spermatids to spermatozoa at specific stages in the rat testis at both the mRNA and protein level. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that MS4A14 (SP3111) is located in the acrosome and the midpiece of the flagellum in mature sperm. Previously, we explored and reported the involvement of MS4A14 in reproductive functions, using antibody blockage during IVF and a transgenic RNA interference method in a mouse model. Our results suggested that MS4A14 is involved in fertilization and zygote division. As MS4A14 protein exists in mammals, such as humans, cows, dogs, and rodents, MS4A14 may play a ubiquitous role in mammalian reproduction.
