title: Male fertility and protein C inhibitor/plasminogen activator inhibitor-3 (PCI): localization of PCI in mouse testis and failure of single plasminogen activator knockout to restore spermatogenesis in PCI-deficient mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the mechanisms responsible for the testicular abnormalities and infertility of previously generated male protein C inhibitor (PCI)-deficient mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Determination of the localization of PCI in the reproductive organs of wild-type males. Generation of double knockout mice lacking the protease inhibitor PCI and one plasminogen activator, either urokinase (uPA) or tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), both of which are PCI-target proteases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Animal research and histologic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male mice of desired genotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fertility testing of double knockout mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infertility of PCI(-/-)uPA(-/-) and PCI(-/-)tPA(-/-) double knockout mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the testes of wild-type males PCI was detected in spermatocytes of prophase I, as well as in late spermatids and mature spermatozoa, but absent from somatic cells. All PCI(-/-) uPA(-/-) and PCI(-/-) tPA(-/-) male mice were infertile and histologic analysis of testis showed similar alterations as previously described for PCI(-/-) mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The abnormal spermatogenesis of PCI (plasminogen activator inhibitor-3)-deficient mice cannot be rescued by single plasminogen activator knockout.
authors: Department of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Center for Biomolecular Medicine and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Uhrin
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Schöfer
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Zaujec
authors: Lubos
authors: L
authors: Ryban
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Hilpert
authors: Klara
authors: K
authors: Weipoltshammer
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Jerabek
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Pirtzkall
authors: Margareta
authors: M
authors: Furtmüller
authors: Mieke
authors: M
authors: Dewerchin
authors: Bernd R
authors: BR
authors: Binder
authors: Margarethe
authors: M
authors: Geiger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018046:Protein C Inhibitor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018046:Protein C Inhibitor