This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Elliott, D. J Articles by Grellscheid, S. N Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Elliott, D. J Articles by Grellscheid, S. N

Alternative RNA splicing regulation in the testis

Institute of Human Genetics, University of Newcastle, International Centre for Life, Central Parkway, Newcastle NE1 3BZ, UK

Correspondence should be addressed to D J Elliott; Email: david.elliott{at}ncl.ac.uk

Alternative splicing regulation has been shown to be critically important for several developmental pathways. It is particularly prevalent in the testis, which is the site of an extensive adult developmental programme. Alternative splicing is controlled by a splicing code, in which transcripts respond to subtle cell type-specific variations in positive and negative trans-acting RNA-binding proteins according to their unique set of binding sites for these proteins. Because of their unique combinations of cis-acting sequence elements, specific transcripts are able to respond individually to this code. In this review, we discuss how this code may be deciphered in germ cells to mediate a splicing response.