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Updated: Jan 10, 2026

A Seminiferous Tubule Squash Technique for the Cytological Analysis of Spermatogenesis Using the Mouse Model
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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
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

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.
Keywords:
Microtubule inner proteinsmale infertilitysperm motility

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