Temperature sensitivity of DNA double-strand break repair underpins heat-induced meiotic failure in mouse spermatogenesis.

Mammalian spermatogenesis is a heat-vulnerable process that occurs at low temperatures, and elevated testicular temperatures cause male infertility. However, the current reliance on in vivo assays limits their potential to detail temperature dependence and destructive processes. Using ex vivo cultures of mouse testis explants at different controlled temperatures, we found that spermatogenesis failed at multiple steps, showing sharp temperature dependencies.

Observation of the Ciliary Movement of Choroid Plexus Epithelial Cells Ex Vivo.

The choroid plexus is located in the ventricular wall of the brain, the main function of which is believed to be production of cerebrospinal fluid. Choroid plexus epithelial cells (CPECs) covering the surface of choroid plexus tissue harbor multiple unique cilia, but most of the functions of these cilia remain to be investigated. To uncover the function of CPEC cilia with particular reference to their motility, an ex vivo observation system was developed to monitor ciliary motility during embryonic, perinatal and postnatal periods.

Developmental changes in ciliary motility on choroid plexus epithelial cells during the perinatal period.

Cilia have crucial roles in various developmental and physiological events. Previously, we reported that choroid plexus epithelial cells (CPECs) have multiple, nonmotile 9+0 cilia, but the cilia exhibit transient motility with variable axonemal arrangements in the neonatal period. These features make these cilia unique, as they do not fit in to the traditional categories of primary or motile cilia, and their physiological roles remain elusive.

Proteomic analysis of multiple primary cilia reveals a novel mode of ciliary development in mammals.

Cilia are structurally and functionally diverse organelles, whose malfunction leads to ciliopathies. While recent studies have uncovered common ciliary transport mechanisms, limited information is available on the proteome of cilia, particularly that of sensory subtypes, which could provide insight into their functional and developmental diversities. In the present study, we performed proteomic analysis of unique, multiple 9+0 cilia in choroid plexus epithelial cells (CPECs).