(A) Strategy to conditionally mutate Rhox10. LoxP sites were inserted on either side of exon 2, which encodes a critical part of the RHOX10 homeodomain.
(B) qRT-PCR analysis of Rhox10-KO (KO) and WT littermate control mice. Nanos2 is a germ cell marker. Values were normalized to Rpl19 mRNA level and denote the mean fold change ± standard error of the mean (SEM).
(C) Testis weight (left) and epididymal sperm count (right) of Rhox10-KO, Rhox-c-KO and control (WT) mice of the indicated ages.
(D) Hematoxylin and eosin staining of representative testis sections from Rhox10-KO (KO) and control (WT) mice of the indicated ages. Scale bars =100 μm.
(E) Quantification of percentage of seminiferous tubule sections without early germ cells or without any detectable germ cells (Sertoli cell only [SCO]) in testes sections from Rhox10-KO mice of the indicated ages. Littermate control mice at all ages had <5% abnormal tubules. Values denote the mean % tubules ± standard error of the mean (SEM). n=2-4, 50-100 tubules per each sections were counted.
(F) Seminiferous tubule abnormalities in 12 week-old Rhox10-KO (KO) and littermate control (WT) mice. spc, spermatocytes; pa spc, pachytene spermatocytes; R st, round spermatids; E st, elongating spermatids.
See also Figure S2