Journal article
Tyro-3 family receptors are essential regulators of mammalian spermatogenesis
Nature (London), Vol.398(6729), pp.723-728
04/22/1999
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/115189
PMID: 10227296
Abstract
We have generated and analysed null mutations in the mouse genes encoding three structurally related receptors with tyrosine kinase activity: Tyro 3, Axl, and Mer. Mice lacking any single receptor, or any combination of two receptors, are viable and fertile, but male animals that lack all three receptors produce no mature sperm, owing to the progressive death of differentiating germ cells. This degenerative phenotype appears to result from a failure of the tropic support that is normally provided by Sertoli cells of the seminiferous tubules, whose function depends on testosterone and additional factors produced by Leydig cells. Tyro 3, Axl and Mer are all normally expressed by Sertoli cells during postnatal development, whereas their ligands, Gas6 and protein S, are produced by Leydig cells before sexual maturity, and by both Leydig and Sertoli cells thereafter. Here we show that the concerted activation of Tyro 3, Axl and Mer in Sertoli cells is critical to the role that these cells play as nurturers of developing germ cells. Additional observations indicate that these receptors may also be essential for the tropic maintenance of diverse cell types in the mature nervous, immune and reproductive systems.
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Details
- Title
- Tyro-3 family receptors are essential regulators of mammalian spermatogenesis
- Creators
- Michael K Skinner - Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Washington State UniversityMartin Gore - Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies These authors contributed equally to this work. Present address: Arena PharmaceuticalsQing Zhang - Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of BiochemsitryStephen P Goff - Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North CarolinaQingxian Lu - Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies These authors contributed equally to this workTodd Camenisch - Neuroscience Center and Department of MicrobiologyFranca Casagranda - Developmental Biology Programme, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryRüdiger Klein - Developmental Biology Programme, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryH. Shelton EarpSharon Boast - Developmental Biology Programme, European Molecular Biology LaboratoryGreg Lemke - Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological StudiesCary Lai - Department of Neuropharmacology, Scripps Research InstituteGlenn K Matsushima - Neuroscience Center and Department of Microbiology
- Publication Details
- Nature (London), Vol.398(6729), pp.723-728
- Academic Unit
- Biological Sciences, School of
- Identifiers
- 99900547560301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article