Testicular cell adhesion molecule 1 (TCAM1) is not essential for fertility

Testicular cell adhesion molecule 1 (Tcam1) is a testis-expressed gene that is evolutionarily conserved in most mammalian species. The putative location of TCAM1 on the cell surface makes it an attractive contraceptive target to study. We found that Tcam1 transcription is enriched in the adult testis, and in situ hybridization revealed that Tcam1 is expressed in pachytene to secondary spermatocytes. Immunofluorescence for TCAM1 protein showed strong expression along cell membranes of spermatocytes and weak localization to round spermatids. In light of this evidence, we hypothesized that TCAM1 interacts with an unknown receptor on the surface of Sertoli cells and that this interaction is important for germ cell-Sertoli cell interactions. However, Tcam1 knockout mice that we generated are fertile, and testis weights and sperm counts were not significantly altered. Therefore, we conclude that TCAM1 is not essential for male fertility or germ cell function in Mus musculus.