Solid-Phase Synthesis of Nannocystin Ax and Its Analogues.

Solid-phase total synthesis of nannocystin Ax () was disclosed. A coupling reaction between a peptide and a polyketide moiety was conducted on a solid support, and macrocyclization was achieved by Mitsunobu cyclization. The established synthetic route was efficient to prepare its analogues, which contain different types of peptide moieties.

Establishment of an organ culture system to induce Sertoli cell differentiation from undifferentiated mouse gonads.

Organ culture systems are useful for elucidating the process of testicular differentiation from mammalian undifferentiated genetically male gonads, as they permit various experiments, including experiments involving the control of gene expression. However, without addition of testicular differentiation-related factors, it is difficult to induce the formation of testis cord from immature gonads by a time point earlier 12 tail somites (ts) that corresponding to 11.0 days post coitum (dpc).

Genetic differences between C57BL/6 substrains affect the process of testis differentiation in Y mice.

C57BL/6J-XY (B6J-XY) mice, which have the Y chromosome derived from Mus musculus poschiavinus on a B6J genetic background, form ovotestes or ovaries. Previously, we replaced the genetic background of B6J-XY mice with B6N and found that individuals with testes also appeared in addition to those with ovaries or ovotestes. To investigate the effect of the B6J genetic sequence on the testis differentiation, the genetic background of B6N-XY mice was replaced with B6J again.