title: Fra1 activity in the frog, Rana esculenta, testis: a new potential role in sperm transport.
abstract: Using an anti-Fos family member antibody, we have previously described in Rana esculenta testis the presence of a nuclear, 43 kDa protein that we hypothesized to be Fra1. With the assistance of an antibody against Fra1 that does not cross-react with other Fos family members, here we report data on Fra1 expression, localization, and putative activity in Rana esculenta testis during its annual reproductive cycle. Western blot analysis confirms that the nuclear, 43 kDa protein is Fra1. Immunocytochemistry validates the Western blot results and shows cytoplasmic and nuclear immunostaining of Fra1 in peritubular myoid cells, efferent ducts, and blood vessels. We report for the first time in a vertebrate, experimental evidence showing that the expression of Fra1 is related to peritubular myoid cells during sperm transport from the tubular compartment to efferent ducts.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Sezione F. Bottazzi, II Università di Napoli, 80138 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Gilda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cobellis
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scarpa
authors.forename: Gaia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Izzo
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fienga
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meccariello
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pierantoni
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fasano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D011893:Rana esculenta / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012621:Seasons; D013083:Sperm Transport / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*; D000099169:Fos-Related Antigen 1
chemical_list: D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D000099169:Fos-Related Antigen 1