Premium
Mammalian testis: A target of in vivo electroporation
Author(s) -
Yomgogida Kentaro
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2008.01042.x
Subject(s) - electroporation , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , germ cell , transgene , spermatogenesis , in vivo , sertoli cell , stem cell , seminiferous tubule , transfection , germline , in vitro , meiosis , transplantation , cell culture , gene , genetics , medicine , endocrinology
Mammalian spermatogenesis consists of three biologically significant processes: stem cell self‐renewal and differentiation, meiosis, and haploid cell morphogenesis. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind these processes might provide clues to the puzzle of species preservation and evolution, and to treatments for male infertility. However, few useful in vitro systems exist to investigate these processes at present. To elucidate these mechanisms, in vivo electroporation of the testis might be a convenient option. Since DNA solution can be injected into the seminiferous tubule via the rete testis, similar to germ cell transplantation, it is easy to transfect expression vectors into various differentiated germ cells and supporting Sertoli cells with adequate electric shock. Unfortunately, it is difficult to create transgenic animals using this method because of its low efficiency. However, gain‐ and loss‐of‐function assays, promoter assays, and tagged‐protein behavior assays can be conducted with this technique, as in in vitro culture systems.