In Brief Testis-specific proteins expressed at the continuum of germ cell differentiation were selected and evaluated by targeted proteomics, fluorescent microscopy, and flow cytometry. Novel markers of obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia were identified. Late germ cell–specific proteins ASPX_HUMAN and AKAP4_HUMAN were exclusively localized to spermatozoa acrosomes and tails, respectively. Imaging flow cytometry identified rare but morphologically intact AKAP4^{+}/ASPX^{+}/Hoechst^{+} spermatozoa in semen pellets of patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. AKAP4^{+}/ASPX^{+}/Hoechst^{+} may improve diagnostics and treatment of severe male infertility.
All Keywords
【저자키워드】 Biomarkers, male infertility, targeted proteomics, Imaging flow cytometry, ACRV1, AKAP4, AKAP4_HUMAN, ASPX_HUMAN, non-obstructive azoospermia, testis-specific proteins,
【저자키워드】 Biomarkers, male infertility, targeted proteomics, Imaging flow cytometry, ACRV1, AKAP4, AKAP4_HUMAN, ASPX_HUMAN, non-obstructive azoospermia, testis-specific proteins,