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Basigin is a highly glycosylated transmembrane protein with two immunoglobulin-like domains. We generated mutant mice lacking the basigin gene (Bsg) by gene targeting.Bsg(−/−) embryos developed normally during preimplantation stages. However, the majority ofBsg(−/−) embryos died around the time of implantation. At this time, basigin mRNA was strongly expressed in the trophectoderm, embryo proper, and uterine endometrium ofBsg(+/+) mice. These results suggest that basigin is involved in intercellular recognition during implantation. Embryos which survived the critical period yieldedBsg(−/−) mutant mice. Half of the mutant mice died before 1 month after birth, due to interstitial pneumonia. The surviving adult mutant mice were small and sterile. Spermatogenesis was arrested in the mutant mice. Most of the spermatocytes in theBsg(−/−) mouse were arrested and degenerated at the metaphase of the first …