Localization in situ of c-myc mRNA and c-myc protein in adult mouse testis.

It has been suggested that c-myc, one of the proto-oncogenes, plays a role in normal somatic cell proliferation and differentiation. To define whether c-myc is only expressed during somatic cell division or is also expressed during meiotic cell division, the production of c-myc mRNA and protein were investigated in the mouse testis by using in situ hybridization with non-radioactive DNA probes and enzyme immunohistochemistry respectively. For in situ hybridization, T-T dimerized DNA probes were used and DNAs hybridized in situ were detected immunohistochemically using specific antibody against T-T dimer. The results indicate that c-myc mRNA and protein are expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner only in spermatogonia and not in spermatocytes and spermatids.