AIMTo show whether molecular motor dynein on a microtubule track, molecular motor myosin Va, motor recruiter myosin Va, VIIa-Rab27a/b interacting protein (MyRIP), and vesicle receptor Rab27b on an F-actin track were present during human and monkey spermiogenesis involving intramanchette transport (IMT).

METHODSSpermiogenic cells were obtained from three men with obstructive azoospermia and normal adult cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Immunocytochemical detection and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of the proteins were carried out. Samples were analyzed by light microscope.

RESULTSUsing RT-PCR, we found that dynein, myosin Va, MyRIP and Rab27b were expressed in monkey testis. These proteins were localized to the manchette, as shown by immunofluorescence, particularly during human and monkey spermiogenesis.

CONCLUSIONWe speculate that during primate spermiogenesis, those proteins that compose microtubule-based and actin-based vesicle transport systems are actually present in the manchette and might possibly be involved in intramanchette transport.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Animals ; Biological Transport ; physiology ; Dyneins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Macaca fascicularis ; Male ; Microtubules ; metabolism ; Myosin Heavy Chains ; metabolism ; Myosin Type V ; metabolism ; Myosins ; metabolism ; Spermatids ; cytology ; metabolism ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Testis ; cytology ; metabolism ; Transport Vesicles ; physiology ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; metabolism ; rab GTP-Binding Proteins ; metabolism