Creating a conditional mutation ofWnt‐1by antisense transgenesis provides evidence thatWnt‐1is not essential for spermatogenesis

摘要

AbstractWe have used mice transgenic for an antisense construct forWnt‐1to study the role of this gene in post‐meiotic sperm development. The humanPGK‐2promoter provided levels ofWnt‐1antisense mRNA in testes in 5 transgenic lines greatly in excess ofWnt‐1mRNA concentrations, andWnt‐1mRNA levels were greatly decreased in the lines, by 98 in three of them. There was a general correlation between copy number of the insert, levels of antisense RNA, and decreases in mRNA. There was little effect of the antisense transgene on fertility or testicular histology suggesting that normal levels ofWnt‐1 transcript are not essential for spermatogenesis. © 1993W