p63 null mutation protects mouse oocytes from radio-induced apoptosis.

Female fertility in mammals is determined by the pool of primordial follicles and low doses of radiation induce a major loss of primordial follicles in the ovary. We investigated the expression of p53 and its homologues, p63 and p73, in the normal and irradiated neonatal ovary. p63 was the only member of the p53 family detected in oocyte nucleus.

p63 expression pattern in foetal and neonatal gonocytes after irradiation and role in the resulting apoptosis by using p63 knockout mice.

Purpose: To investigate the role of p63, a member of the p53 family, in gonocyte apoptosis after radiation exposure.

Materials And Methods: Wild-type (WT) and p63 knock-out (KO) testes were exposed in vivo or in vitro to a 3 Gy dose of 137Cesium (137Cs) gamma-rays at day 18.5 post-conception (p.

The role of p63 in germ cell apoptosis in the developing testis.

The fetal and neonatal development of male germ cells (gonocytes) is a poorly understood but crucial process for establishing fertility. In rodents, gonocytes go through two phases of proliferation accompanied by apoptosis and separated by a quiescent period during the end of fetal development. P63 is a member of the P53 gene family that yields six isoforms.