{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T03:40:32Z","timestamp":1788234032990,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"4","funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000002","name":"NIH","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["R01HD093802"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["R01HD093802"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000002","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,10,13]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The reproductive homeobox X-linked (Rhox) genes encode transcription factors that are expressed selectively in reproductive tissues including the testis, epididymis, ovary, and placenta. While many Rhox genes are expressed in germ cells in the mouse testis, only Rhox8 is expressed exclusively in the Sertoli cells during embryonic and postnatal development, suggesting a possible role of Rhox8 in embryonic gonad development. Previously, Sertoli cell\u2013specific knockdown of RHOX8 resulted in male subfertility due to germ cell defects. However, this knockdown model was limited in examining the functions of Rhox8 as RHOX8 knockdown occurred only postnatally, and there was still residual RHOX8 in the testis. In this study, we generated new Rhox8 knockout (KO) mice using the CRISPR\/Cas9 system. Sex determination and fetal testis development were apparently normal in mutant mice. Fertility analysis showed a low fecundity in Rhox8 KO adult males, with disrupted spermatogenic cycles, increased germ cell apoptosis, and reduced sperm count and motility. Interestingly, Rhox8 KO testes showed an increase in testis size with dilated seminiferous tubules and rete testis, which might be affected by efferent duct (ED) Rhox8 ablation dysregulating the expression of metabolism and transport genes in the EDs. Taken together, the data presented in this study suggest that Rhox8 in the Sertoli cells is not essential for sex determination and embryonic testis differentiation but has an important role in complete spermatogenesis and optimal male fertility.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/biolre\/ioad077","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,19]],"date-time":"2023-07-19T12:36:14Z","timestamp":1689770174000},"page":"520-532","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["<i>Rhox8<\/i>\n                    homeobox gene ablation leads to rete testis abnormality and male subfertility in mice"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"109","author":[{"given":"Yeongseok","family":"Oh","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Washington State University Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, , Pullman, Washington , USA"},{"name":"Southern Illinois School of Medicine Department of Physiology, , Carbondale, IL , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maho","family":"Kasu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Washington State University Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, , Pullman, Washington , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Constence J","family":"Bottoms","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Washington State University Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, , Pullman, Washington , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jenna C","family":"Douglas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Washington State University Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, , Pullman, Washington , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nikola","family":"Sekulovski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Southern Illinois School of Medicine Department of Physiology, , Carbondale, IL , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kanako","family":"Hayashi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Washington State University Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, , Pullman, Washington , USA"},{"name":"Southern Illinois School of Medicine Department of Physiology, , Carbondale, IL , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"James A","family":"MacLean II","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Washington State University Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, , Pullman, Washington , USA"},{"name":"Southern Illinois School of Medicine Department of Physiology, , Carbondale, IL , USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,7,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"2023101605085798400_ref1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1038\/nrurol.2012.77","article-title":"Metabolic regulation is important for spermatogenesis","volume":"9","author":"Rato","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nat Rev Urol"},{"key":"2023101605085798400_ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1016\/S0070-2153(05)71005-X","article-title":"Gene regulation in spermatogenesis","volume":"71","author":"Maclean","year":"2005","journal-title":"Curr Top Dev Biol"},{"key":"2023101605085798400_ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"972","DOI":"10.1186\/s12864-017-4357-3","article-title":"Identification of Sertoli cell-specific transcripts in the mouse testis and the role of FSH and androgen in the control of Sertoli cell 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