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. 2015 Jul 16;6(7):e1818. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2015.182

Figure 3.

Figure 3

AIP1 is required in both germ cells and Sertoli cells for germ cells migration during postnatal testis development. (a) Germ cells from geAip1−/− and seAip1−/− testes displayed significant defects in their migration as compared with their respective control. Control germ cells (labeled by MVH staining, green) at P2 mostly remained in the central of each tubule, whereas migratory germ cells (labeled by PLZF, green) were observed at P4–P5. By P6 or P7, most of the germ cells had reached and contacted the basement membrane of the testicular cord. In comparison, germ cells in the geAip1−/− and seAip1−/− testes showed similar localization at P2 and P4 as that of the controls, but displayed significant migration delay starting from P5 or P6. GATA4 staining labels the Sertoli cells (red). White arrows point to examples of germ cells that had not reached the basement membrane. Scale bar: 10 μm. (b and c) Number of germ cells that were located at either the basal or central region of the testicular cord was quantified in geAip1−/− (b) and seAip1−/− (c) testes from P2 to P7 with respect to their controls. Each image was taken from a 5-μm-thick tissue section. A total of 51 tissue cross-sections were analyzed for each genotype at a certain time point (from three mice, except for P2 geAip1−/−). Data are presented as means±S.E.M.; *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001