XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
 Gynaecology
  Infertility
   Letrozole
  Menstruation Disturbances
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
 
 India
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM

Infertility Channel
subscribe to Infertility newsletter

Latest Research : Gynaecology : Infertility

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
New way of studying sperm function
Sep 20, 2005 - 10:11:00 PM, Reviewed by: Dr.

�We created green sperm to show this approach could work. But our real aim is to use this technique to study the function of genes that are important during fertilization and that may cause infertility if they become defective. That�s an important goal given that a recent study found that one in seven British couples have fertility problems and a third of these have an unknown cause.�

 
A new way of studying sperm function has been developed which will aid research into male infertility.

An international team led by Oxford researchers has shown for the first time that it is possible to introduce a synthetic gene (a transgene) directly into a normal, live animal in such a way that the gene is expressed in mature sperm.

The new method could be extremely important for fertility research because it allows many different aspects of gene function in sperm to be studied. The study showed that the gene coding for a fluorescent green protein, originally taken from a jellyfish, could be introduced into sperm precursor cells within the testicles of a hamster, resulting in green, glowing sperm. Hamsters were used in the study because their sperm have many attributes in common with those of humans, and thus offer an excellent model for studying human sperm development and how defects in this process might result in infertility.

The scientist leading the study, Dr John Parrington of the Department of Pharmacology in Oxford, said: �We created green sperm to show this approach could work. One of the areas that Dr Parrington�s team in Oxford are studying is the mechanism by which sperm activate eggs; that is, how a sperm by entering an egg triggers it to develop into an embryo rather than remaining in a state of suspended animation. This method of creating genetically modified sperm will aid their research, with important implications for understanding male infertility. It is also likely to be widely used by other scientists working in the field of gene function in sperm.

The technique may also offer the possibility of a new way of creating genetically modified animals for all sorts of other research. Currently, genetically modified mice are created by introducing transgenes into an egg. However, this method is relatively inefficient, and so far attempts to use it to create genetically modified versions of important model species such as hamsters and guinea pigs have failed.

Creating the transgenic animals from transgenic sperm (in other words genetically modifying the sperm and then fertilizing a normal egg with it) might on the one hand help to reduce the numbers of mice used in medical research, and on the other hand, open up the possibility of studying gene function in species that are better models than mice for studying certain human diseases.
 

- �In Vivo Gene Transfer by Electroporation Allows Expression of a Fluorescent Transgene in Hamster Testis and Epididymal Sperm and Has No Adverse Effects upon Testicular Integrity or Sperm Quality� by Olivia Hibbitt, Kevin Coward, Hiroki Kubota, Nilendran Prathalingham, William Holt, Kenjiro Kohri, and John Parrington is pubished online by Biology of Reproduction
 

www.biolreprod.org

 
Subscribe to Infertility Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 



Related Infertility News

Spermatogonial stem cells could aid male infertility
Dopamine agonist can prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
CBT can restore ovulation in infertile women
New method of testing ova for abnormalities
New Hope For Preserving Future Fertility
How IVF could be causing genetic errors in embryos
Fertility drug letrozole given 'all-clear' in new study
Major birth defect risk more for IVF babies
Treatment of Men with ED Improves Women's Sexual Function
Fertility awareness-based methods of family planning & timing - Study


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us