Thesis
Mismatch repair proteins and spermiogenesis
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2008
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103162
Abstract
In human males, one of the major causes of infertility is the abnormal development of immature sperm into fully motile, mature forms. Abnormalities such as round sperm heads and kinked or coiled sperm tails are all correlated with infertility [1-3]. These defects have been linked to disrupted formation of any of several essential structures, such as the acrosome, manchette, or cytoskeletal components within the immature sperm [4]. In previous immunostaining studies conducted in the Hassold/ Hunt Laboratory, certain DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins appeared to localize to different regions of testicular and epididymal sperm, e.g. to the acrosome or tail. These proteins are known to function in repair of DNA mismatches during mitosis and to play a role in meiotic recombination [1]. However there has been no reason to suspect any function in spermiogenesis, the complex process that involves the maturation of the immature spermatid to a fully motile, mature sperm [5, 6]. These new observations may shed some insight into the unknowns of spermiogenesis. Specifically, the localization pattern of MMR proteins MLH1, MLH3, MSH4, and MSH5, to testicular spermatids and epididymal sperm, and the differences in the patterns between the two, may signify a role for these proteins that is unrelated to typical MMR activity.
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Details
- Title
- Mismatch repair proteins and spermiogenesis
- Creators
- Katie Marie Shampeny
- Contributors
- Terry Hassold (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Molecular Biosciences, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525134001842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis