Background: Varicocele is a major cause of male infertility, as it may impair spermatogenesis through several distinct pathophysiological mechanisms including hypoxia, renal-adrenal reflux, hormonal dysfunction, autoimmunity, oxidative stress and hyperthermia. HSP70s are members of the heat shock protein (HSP) family, which are considered intracellular chaperones. Their expressions can increase...

Male mammals with two X chromosomes are sterile due to the demise of virtually all germ cells; however, the underlying reasons for the germ cell loss remain unclear. The use of a breeding scheme for the production of XXY male mice has allowed us to experimentally address the question of when and why germ cells die in the XXY testis and whether the defect is due to the presence of an additional ...

The role of sex steroid regulation in gonadal maturation is a very complex process that is far from being fully understood. Hence, we have investigated seasonal changes in gonadal expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.), a batch spawner, throughout the annual reproductive cycle. Three nuclear ER partial cDNA sequences (esr1, esr2a, and esr2b) were cloned and all...

As a chemotherapeutic drug, cyclophosphamide (CP) has negative impact on male fertility due to its reproductive toxicity. Melatonin (Mel) promotes the system and increases testosterone synthesis. This study is aimed at exploring molecular mechanism of Mel as protector against CP-induced cytotoxicity. A CP toxicity model was established in adult ICR mice by intraperitoneal injection 100 mg/kg ev...

BACKGROUND Nicotine consumption can decrease fertility drive in males by inducing oxidative stress and DNA damage. Urtica dioica L (U.dioica) is a multipurpose herb in traditional medicine for which some anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties have been identified. OBJECTIVE The main goal is to investigate whether the U.dioica could inhibit nicotine adverse effects on sperm cells viab...

Iron is essential for male fertility, and disruptions in iron balance lead to impairment of testicular function. The divalent metal transporter DMT1 is a key modulator of transferrin- and non-transferrin-bound iron homeostasis. As a first step in determining the role of DMT1 in the testis, we have characterized the pattern of DMT1 expression in the developing and adult rat testis. Northern blot...

Dicer is a key enzyme that processes microRNA precursors into their mature form, enabling them to regulate gene expression. Dicer null mutants die before gastrulation. To study Dicer function in testis development, we crossed mice carrying a conditional Dicer allele with an AMH-Cre transgenic line, thereby inactivating Dicer in Sertoli cells around embryonic day 14.0 (E14.0). Dicer null Sertoli...

Mammalian spermatogenesis is a classic adult stems cell-dependent process, supported by the self-renewal and differentiation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). However, the identification of SSCs and elucidation of their behaviors in undisturbed testis has long been a big challenge. Here, we generated a knock-in mouse model, Id4-2A-CreERT2-2A-tdTomato, which allowed us to mark Id4-expressing ...

Ghrelin, a 28-amino acid acylated peptide, was identified as the endogenous ligand for the growth hormone (GH) secretagogue receptor and its role in reproduction has recently been established. It is believed that the site of ghrelin expression in testes may indicate its role in local regulation. This study investigated the immunohistochemical (IHC) localization of ghrelin in Holstein bull testi...