The Sertoli cell expressed gene secernin-1 (Scrn1) is dispensable for male fertility in the mouse

Abstract

Background: Male infertility is a prevalent clinical presentation for which there is likely a strong genetic component due to the thousands of genes required for spermatogenesis. Within this study we investigated the role of the gene Scrn1 in male fertility. Scrn1 is preferentially expressed in XY gonads during the period of sex determination and in adult Sertoli cells based on single cell RNA sequencing. We investigated the expression of Scrn1 in juvenile and adult tissues and generated a knockout mouse model to test its role in male fertility. Results: Scrn1 was expressed at all ages examined in the post-natal testis; however, its expression peaked at postnatal days 7-14 and SCRN1 protein ..