cellular
• at 12 weeks of age, male homozygotes show a ~53% reduction in epididymal sperm count relative to wild-type controls
• in mutant males, the number of sperm per testis weight is only ~68% that of wild-type controls
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reproductive system
• at 12 weeks of age, male homozygotes show a ~30% reduction in average testis weight relative to wild-type controls
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• after puberty (P30 to adulthood), mRNA levels of key steroidogenesis-related genes are significantly lower in mutant testes than in wild-type testes
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• after puberty, male homozygotes display significantly lower testicular testosterone levels than wild-type males, as a result of higher anti-Mullerian hormone levels in mutant testes
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• male homozygotes show a significant delay in the onset of spermatogenesis, likely due to decreased testicular testosterone levels
• at P26, the most advanced germ cells in mutant testes remain as late pachytene spermatocytes, instead of developing into haploid round spermatids as in wild-type testes
• at P33, only early elongated spermatids are noted in mutant testes, whereas late elongated spermatids are seen in wild-type testes
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• at 12 weeks of age, male homozygotes show a ~53% reduction in epididymal sperm count relative to wild-type controls
• in mutant males, the number of sperm per testis weight is only ~68% that of wild-type controls
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• at P37, no sperm are yet detected in mutant epididymides
• at P56, spermatozoa are detected at the luminal edge of seminiferous epithelia in both wild-type and mutant testes; however, the lumen is only dilated in wild-type tubules indicating active release of sperm
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endocrine/exocrine glands
• at 12 weeks of age, male homozygotes show a ~30% reduction in average testis weight relative to wild-type controls
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• after puberty (P30 to adulthood), mRNA levels of key steroidogenesis-related genes are significantly lower in mutant testes than in wild-type testes
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• after puberty, male homozygotes display significantly lower testicular testosterone levels than wild-type males, as a result of higher anti-Mullerian hormone levels in mutant testes
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