Odf Antikörper

The major cytoskeletal structures in the mammalian sperm tail are the outer dense fibers (ODF) and the fibrous sheath (FS). The ODFs are located on the outside of the axoneme, and they help maintain the passive elastic structures and elastic recoil of the sperm tail. Human ODFs consist of approximately 10 major and at least 15 minor proteins. The major proteins of the ODF include Odf1, Odf2, and Odf3, which compose a family of proteins that are preferentially expressed during mammalian spermiogenesis. The human Odf1 gene maps to chromosome 8q22. The human Odf2 gene maps to chromosome 9q34. Both Odf1 and Odf2 are exclusively expressed in testis. Odf2 interacts with Odf1 during assembly of the outer dense fibers by means of leucine zippers in both proteins. Odf1 can also self interact. The Odf proteins may be involved in male infertility as a result of flagellar dysfunction.