title: Sex-specific expression of a novel gene Tmem184a during mouse testis differentiation.
abstract: During mouse embryogenesis, the fate of the bipotential gonads is sealed around 10.5 days post coitum (dpc) when the Y-linked gene Sry specifies the differentiation of testes in males, whereas in females, absence of Sry results in ovary formation. Apart from the pivotal action of Sry, many other genes are known to be involved in sex determination and subsequent differentiation. Much is still unknown regarding the regulatory hierarchy governing these events and many more sex differentiation genes are yet to be discovered. In this study, we investigated the expression of Tmem184a, a novel gene encoding a protein of unknown function, but with predicted kinase activity, during mouse embryogenesis. We show that Tmem184a is expressed at high levels in the developing testis from 11.5 dpc, a time of active proliferation and differentiation. Tmem184a expression is further shown to be expressed exclusively within the Sertoli cells of the developing testis cords, suggesting that it may mediate sex-specific signaling events during Sertoli cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Terje
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Svingen
authors.forename: Annemiek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beverdam
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McClive
authors.forename: Vincent R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Harley
authors.forename: Andrew H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koopman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005865:Gestational Age; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012708:Sertoli Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D013737:Testis / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; C522390:Tmem184a protein, mouse; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins