RAB8B, Member RAS Oncogene Family (RAB8B)

RAB proteins, like RAB8B, are low molecular mass monomeric GTPases that localize on the cytoplasmic surfaces of distinct membrane-bound organelles. RAB proteins function in intracellular vesicle transport by aiding in the docking and/or fusion of vesicles with their target membranes.

Rab8b was also expressed in Sertoli and germ cells, and expression increased in these cells during maturation. Expression of Rab8b increased in testis during initiation of meiosis, when secondary spermatocytes first appear. Immunohistochemical analysis of adult rat testis detected Rab8b in the basal compartment in all stages of the spermatogenic cycle. In cultured Sertoli cells, Rab8b associated with membrane junctions.