Analysis of the patterns of expression of mRNAs for the α- and β-subunits of the lysosomal enzyme β-N-acetylhexosaminidase in mouse epididymis and testis

mRNA for the α- and β-subunits of mouse β-N-acetylhexosaminidase were detected in tissue sections of epididymis and testis using³H-labelled antisense RNA probes by hybridization in situ. There were clear differences in the intensity of the signals given by the two tissues with α-subunit mRNA being more abundant in testis than epididymis, while the opposite was so with β-subunit mRNA. Differences in the isoenzyme patterns of the two tissues are likely to be due, at least in part, to differences in transcription by the Hexa and Hexb genes.