MKK7-mediated phosphorylation of JNKs regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of human spermatogonial stem cells

Figure 6 The expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 in the testis of obstructive azoospermia patients and non-obstructive azoospermia patients. A and B: The percentages of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) (green)-positive spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) with mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7 (MKK7) (red) expression between obstructive azoospermia (OA) and various kinds of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) patients; C and D: Western blotting compared the relative levels of MKK7 protein between OA and NOA patients. Notes in (C): sample A and B were individuals with OA with normal spermatogenesis; sample C and D were NOA patients with spermatogonia maturation arrest; sample E and F were NOA patients with spermatocyte maturation arrest; sample G and H were NOA patients with hypospermatogenesis. Scale bars: C, 50 μm. ^aP < 0.05 indicated the significant differences between OA patients with normal spermatogenesis and NOA patients. Spg MA: Spermatogonia maturation arrest; Spc MA: Spermatocyte maturation arrest; HS: Hypospermatogenesis; ACTB: Beta actin.