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Objective: To evaluate the expression pattern of Dazl (deleted in azoospermia-like) protein in the mouse preimplantation embryo., Design: Experimental study., Setting: Medical research laboratory in a university hospital., Animal(s): Twenty female 28- to 35-day-old FVB mice., Intervention(s): Embryo collection at 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 days postcoitus (plug date, 0.5 d postcoitus) to examine the Dazl protein expression from the two-cell embryo to the blastocyst., Main Outcome Measure(s): Dazl protein expression was analyzed by immunofluorescent staining., Result(s): There is abundant expression of Dazl protein in the cytoplasm of the blastomere. Strong fluorescent signals of Dazl protein expression were found in preimplantation embryo cytoplasm, including two-cell, eight-cell, morula, and blastocyst., Conclusion(s): By using an antibody raised against mouse Daz-like protein (Dazl), we showed that Dazl protein is present in all cleaving stages of the preimplantation embryo. This is the first report on the protein expression of a Dazl gene during embryogenesis in mice. However, further study is needed to evaluate the molecular functional role of Dazl.

Objective: To explore the role of CDC25B protein in postmeiotic germ cells., Design: In vitro experiment., Setting: University-based reproductive genetics laboratory., Patient(s): Fertile and infertile volunteers., Intervention(s): Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time RT-PCR, and immunostaining for CDC25B., Main Outcome Measure: Expression profiling of CDC25B in human spermatozoa., Result(s): Four splicing variants (CDC25B1, B2, B3, and B4) are expressed in human spermatozoa. Immunofluorescence staining showed strong homogeneous staining in the midpiece of spermatozoa, and weak staining in the principal piece and cytosol of the head. The messenger RNA (mRNA) transcript level of CDC25B was increased in sperm samples of men with asthenospermia., Conclusion(s): The expression of CDC25B in different cellular compartments of human spermatozoa suggests that there are diverse noncell-cycle-related functions of CDC25B in terminally differentiated human germ cells.