High impact information on FSCN3

• Testis fascin (FSCN3): a novel paralog of the actin-bundling protein fascin expressed specifically in the elongate spermatid head [1].
• Northern analysis indicates that FSCN3 expression is highly specific to testis and that in situ hybridization further restricts expression to elongating spermatids [1].
• Mapping of murine and human FSCN3 genes shows localization to the 7q31.3 chromosome [1].
• Antibodies raised against recombinant FSCN3 protein identify a band at 56 kD in testis, epididymis, and epididymal spermatozoa, suggesting that testis fascin persists in mature spermatozoa [1].
• In accord with the in situ hybridization results, immunofluorescent microscopy localizes testis fascin protein to areas of the anterior spermatid head that match known distributions of F-actin in the dorsal and ventral subacrosomal spaces [1].

Anatomical context of FSCN3

• It is possible that testis fascin may function in the terminal elongation of the spermatid head and in microfilament rearrangements that accompany fertilization [1].

References