FEMALE STERILITY IN MICE LACKING THE BASIGIN GENE, WHICH ENCODES A TRANSMEMBRANE GLYCOPROTEIN BELONGING TO THE IMMUNOGLOBULIN SUPERFAMILY

Basigin (Bsg) is a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunog lobulin superfamily. Bsg knock-out mice exhibit infertility of both se xes. Based on limited results, defective implantation has been conside red to be the cause of the female infertility. We demonstrate here tha t disruption of the Bsg gene produces the failure of female reproducti ve processes including not only implantation but also fertilization. B sg mRNA expression in cumulus cells and basolateral localization of th e Bsg protein in the endometrial epithelium further support the import ance of Bsg in these processes. (C) 1998 Federation of European Bioche mical Societies.