User:Bibalisou/sandboxDAZ

The DAZ (Deleted in AZoospermia) protein family is a group of three highly conserved RNA-binding proteins that are important in gametogenesis and meiosis. Therefore, mutations in the genes that encode for the DAZ proteins can have detrimental consequences for fertility.

The three members of the DAZ protein family include BOULE (BOLL), DAZL (DAZLA) and DAZ. Boule and Dazl are both located on autosomes as single copies. However DAZ is located with multiple copies in the Y chromosome only. BOULE is present from invertebrates, DAZL is from vertebrates and DAZ is present from primates

Overview
In humans, 50% of infertility issues are caused by males, and of this, genetic deletions in the Y chromosome make us a lot of this majority, since only men have the Y chromosome. DAZ gene in present on Y chromosome and deletion of this gene has been directly shown as a main cause of infertility. This causes no sperm cell found in semen and it is termed Azoospermia. One DAZ homologue is expressed in nearly every stage of spermatogenesis - from primordial germ cells (PGCs) to mature spermatozoa.

DAZ is not absolutely required for spermatogenesis as some DAZ deleted men are still able to father children. DAZ pushes ESCs in to germ cells with molecular features of being spermatids.

Dazl is expressed in humans from early progenitor germ cell migration, right up to spermatozoa differentiation. Since DAZL is located on an autosome, it has been shown to be important in germ cell development of both oocyte and spermatocytes (in spermatogenesis and oogenesis), albeit in different expression patterns for both.