Phenotypes for Tardbp Tg(Stra8-icre)1Reb MGI:7266812 MGI Mouse

teratozoospermia ( J:324061 )

• most cauda epididymal sperm are morphologically abnormal

abnormal sperm flagellum morphology ( J:324061 )

• ~55% of sperm tails are curved/bent

abnormal sperm head morphology ( J:324061 )

• roughly 50% of cauda sperm show deformed or detached heads

• ~55% of sperm show head and midpiece bent over the principal piece of the tail

absent sperm head ( J:324061 )

• headless sperm are observed

decreased male germ cell number ( J:324061 )

• extensive male germ cell depletion is observed at P35

• germ cell depletion is progressively worse at 3, 7, and 21 months of age

oligozoospermia ( J:324061 )

• males exhibit 7.4 times less cauda epididymal sperm than control males

abnormal chromosomal synapsis ( J:324061 )

• diplotene-like spermatocytes display nonhomologous chromosome synapsis

• zygotene-like spermatocytes show nonhomologous chromosome synapsis, short chromosome length, and abnormal number of chromosomes

• pachytene-like spermatocytes show nonhomologous chromosome synapsis, with persistent gammaH2AX flares/foci on autosomes likely indicating unrepaired double-strand DNA breaks

increased male germ cell apoptosis ( J:324061 )

• TUNEL staining showed a significant increase in spermatocyte apoptosis

abnormal seminiferous tubule epithelium morphology ( J:324061 )

• vacuole formation is observed within the seminiferous epithelium at P35

• at advanced ages, the seminiferous epithelium only consists of Sertoli cells

• onset of seminiferous epithelium pathology with reduced cellularity is at P12

small seminiferous tubules ( J:324061 )

• at P35, the seminiferous tubule diameter appears narrower than in control males

• a 1.6-fold reduction in tubule cross-section diameter is seen at 3 months of age

seminiferous tubule degeneration ( J:324061 )

• atrophy of the seminiferous tubules, germ cell loss, and vacuole formation are observed at P35

• vacuole formation is progressively worse at 3, 7, and 21 months of age

small testis ( J:324061 )

• testis size is severely decreased at P35

decreased testis weight ( J:324061 )

• a 2.9-fold reduction in testis weight is seen at 3 months of age

arrest of spermatogenesis ( J:324061 )

• at P35, spermatogonia and a few meiotic cells can be seen but no round spermatids are detected

• at 3-4 months of age, flow cytometry data showed a significant decrease in 1N cells (round spermatids) and an increase in 2N (spermatogonia, Sertoli, peritubular, and Leydig cells) and 4N (primary spermatocytes) cells, indicating arrest in meiosis

arrest of male meiosis ( J:324061 )

• spermatocytes show failure to complete prophase I of meiosis with arrest at the mid-pachytene stage

reduced male fertility ( J:324061 )

• 3-month-old males are severely subfertile, producing a significantly lower number of litters than control males over a 6-month period (0.6 litters versus 6 litters, respectively)