Ectopic expression of OCT4B1 Decreases Fertility Rate and Changes Sperm Parameters in Transgenic Mice.

Background: The octamer-binding transcription factor-4 (OCT4) is known as an established important regulator of pluripotency, as well as a genetic "master switch" in the self-renewal of embryonic stem and germ cells. , one of the three spliced variants of human OCT4, plays crucial roles in the regulation of pluripotency and stemness.

Objectives: The present study developed a transgenic mouse model containing an -expressing construct under the transcriptional direction of mouse mammary tumor virus promoter (pMMTV) to evaluate the role of OCT4B1 in the function of male germ cells in terms of fertility potential.