The study on the expression of PCNA gene during the development of mice testes

In order to study the expression of PCNA gene throughout the postnatal development of mouse testes, the testicular tissue samples of normal Kunming Mice were taken at 16 different stages of postnatal development.Immunohistochemical technique and DNA-mRNA in situ hybridization technique with dig-labeled PCNA gene probe were used on the paraffin tissue sections in all stages.The results showed that PCNA protein was expressed in spermatogonia and primary spermatocyte of the testes in mice and reach the peak 11 days later after the birth.PCNA gene was expressed in primary spermatocyte,secondary spermatocyte,round spermatid and a small number of spermatogonia.The expression of primary spermatocyte was relatively strong.It is suggested that PCNA gene was involved in the DNA replication in spermatogonia and primary spermatocyte during the development of mouse testes. There was some difference between the expression level of mRNA and protein.