{{Short description|Human protein encoded by TEX14 gene}} {{#invoke:Infobox_gene|getTemplateData|QID=Q18042303}} '''Testis-expressed protein 14''' is a protein in humans encoded by the TEX14 gene, and is 1497 amino acids in length.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TEX14 Gene - GeneCards {{!}} TEX14 Protein {{!}} TEX14 Antibody |url=https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=TEX14 |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=www.genecards.org |archive-date=2022-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928003201/https://www.genecards.org/cgi-bin/carddisp.pl?gene=TEX14 |url-status=live }}</ref> TEX14 plays a vital role in the formation of germ cells, as it is an essential component of the mammalian germ cell interphase bridge.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal | vauthors = Greenbaum MP, Yan W, Wu MH, Lin YN, Agno JE, Sharma M, Braun RE, Rajkovic A, Matzuk MM | display-authors = 6 | title = TEX14 is essential for intercellular bridges and fertility in male mice | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 103 | issue = 13 | pages = 4982–4987 | date = March 2006 | pmid = 16549803 | pmc = 1458781 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0505123103 | bibcode = 2006PNAS..103.4982G | doi-access = free }}</ref>
An orthologue of TEX14 exists in other mammals, also called TEX14.
== Function == During cell division, specifically in telophase, the spindle is converted into a midbody. This midbody contains a ring of TEX14, which gradually travels outwards as cell division progresses. Finally, TEX14 marks the ends of the intercellular bridge.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Greenbaum MP, Ma L, Matzuk MM | title = Conversion of midbodies into germ cell intercellular bridges | journal = Developmental Biology | volume = 305 | issue = 2 | pages = 389–396 | date = May 2007 | pmid = 17383626 | pmc = 2717030 | doi = 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.02.025 }}</ref>
== Clinical significance ==
Male mice and male pigs that lack normal TEX14 are incapable of producing functional sperm, and thus are infertile.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sironen A, Uimari P, Venhoranta H, Andersson M, Vilkki J | title = An exonic insertion within Tex14 gene causes spermatogenic arrest in pigs | journal = BMC Genomics | volume = 12 | issue = 1 | pages = 591 | date = December 2011 | pmid = 22136159 | pmc = 3248578 | doi = 10.1186/1471-2164-12-591 | doi-access = free }}</ref> However, TEX14-knockout female mice are not infertile.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Greenbaum MP, Iwamori N, Agno JE, Matzuk MM | title = Mouse TEX14 is required for embryonic germ cell intercellular bridges but not female fertility | journal = Biology of Reproduction | volume = 80 | issue = 3 | pages = 449–457 | date = March 2009 | pmid = 19020301 | pmc = 2805395 | doi = 10.1095/biolreprod.108.070649 }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}} Category:Genes on human chromosome 17