title: A novel spermatogenesis-specific uPAR gene expressed in human and mouse testis.
abstract: The urokinase receptor, uPAR, which binds to the urinary-type plasminogen activator, controls matrix degradation in the processes of tissue remodeling, cell migration, and invasion. In the present study, we found a new urokinase receptor gene that encodes a 249-amino acid putative protein. Northern blot analysis showed specific expression in the testis of this gene, which we named the spermatogenesis-related gene (SGRG). In situ hybridization revealed a strong expression signal for SGRG in spermatogonia, but not in spermatocytes. Therefore, we conjecture that SGRG may regulate spermatocyte migration through breakdown of extracellular matrix protein barriers in spermatogenesis. Since SGRG is specifically expressed in spermatogonia, it provides an attractive candidate for development of a contraceptive vaccine.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Xiaokun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zumei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Ruiying
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Lvjie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhixin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Landian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Guoping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xiangying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C524898:PLAUR protein, human; C524899:Plaur protein, mouse; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator