Background of the antigen
Spermatogenesis represents the intricate developmental process of mitotic and meiotic cell divisions that ultimately leads to the production of haploid spermatozoa. BOULE, a member of the human deleted in azoospermia (DAZ) family, functions as a key conserved switch that regulates the progression of germ cells through meiosis in man. BOULE is an RNA-binding protein that regulates the expression of twine, a Cdc25 phosphatase, which promotes progression through meiosis. BOULE is expressed not only in the testis, but also in the nervous system, where it may play a role in neural communication. Mutations in the BOULE gene are be associated with male infertility, and the relative proportions of the three BOULE isoforms (B1, B2 and B3) may function as predictive markers for meiotic efficiency.
