reproductive system
N |
• male homozygotes exhibit no differences in testis weight, shape and histology, epididymis weight, sperm counts in cauda epididymides, and sperm flagellum morphology relative to wild-type controls
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• ~20% of sperm from the testis, caput, and cauda epididymides exhibit severe head defects
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• ~20% of sperm from the testis and epididymis exhibit abnormal acrosome formation
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• ~20% of sperm from the testis and epididymis exhibit impaired cell nucleus formation
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• sperm from the cauda epididymides exhibit a significant reduction in the initial motility after isolation
• however, no defects in sperm motility are observed during capacitation
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• 8 of 10 male homozygotes are completely sterile
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• 2 of 10 male homozygotes are subfertile
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• although sperm adhere to and accumulate in the perivitelline space of intact eggs, their fertilizing capacity is significantly reduced, indicating failure of sperm-egg interaction
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• sperm exhibit significantly decreased capacity for spontaneous and progesterone (P4)-induced acrosome reactions
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• in vitro fertilization analysis of epididymal sperm using intact eggs revealed a significant decrease in the rate of 2-cell embryo formation
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cellular
• ~20% of sperm from the testis, caput, and cauda epididymides exhibit severe head defects
|
• ~20% of sperm from the testis and epididymis exhibit abnormal acrosome formation
|
• ~20% of sperm from the testis and epididymis exhibit impaired cell nucleus formation
|
• sperm from the cauda epididymides exhibit a significant reduction in the initial motility after isolation
• however, no defects in sperm motility are observed during capacitation
|