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Updated: Jan 10, 2026
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A Seminiferous Tubule Squash Technique for the Cytological Analysis of Spermatogenesis Using the Mouse Model
Published on: February 6, 2018
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Microtubule Inner Protein CFAP77 Contributes to Sperm Motility and Male Fertility in Mice
Haoting Wang1,2, Anh Hoang Pham1,2, Mengjiao Luo1,3
1Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, The University of Osaka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Andrology
|November 29, 2025
Summary
Cilia- and flagella-associated protein 77 (CFAP77) is vital for sperm motility and male fertility. Its absence impairs sperm function by affecting microtubule inner protein stability.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Sperm Biology
- Molecular Mechanisms of Fertility
Background:
- Sperm motility is critical for male fertility, relying on the axoneme's structural integrity.
- Microtubule inner proteins (MIPs) support the axoneme, but their functions are often unknown.
- Cilia- and flagella-associated protein 77 (CFAP77) is a MIP, yet its role in mammalian sperm is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of CFAP77 in sperm motility and male fertility.
- To utilize a Cfap77 knockout mouse model to elucidate CFAP77's role.
Main Methods:
- Generated Cfap77 knockout mice using CRISPR-Cas9.
- Assessed male fertility via mating tests and sperm motility using computer-assisted sperm analysis.
- Determined CFAP77 localization and interactions using immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- CFAP77 was localized to sperm flagella in mice.
- Cfap77 knockout males showed significantly reduced fertility and impaired sperm motility.
- CFAP77 interacts with TEKTL1, and its loss reduced TEKTL1 levels in spermatozoa.
Conclusions:
- CFAP77 is essential for mammalian sperm motility and male fertility.
- CFAP77's interaction with other MIPs suggests a role in stabilizing them and regulating flagellar function.
- These findings offer insights into the molecular regulation of sperm motility.
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