EFFECTS OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY ON MALE REPRODUCTION

此应用程序的长期目标是确定站点和 维生素D减少的作用机制 在维生素D缺乏症中观察到生育能力。正常的生殖能力 功能依赖于维生素D是一个新的发现，直接 对人类生育能力的影响。维生素D的生殖研究-- 缺乏维生素D的大鼠将识别直接依赖维生素D的靶点 影响生育能力。哺乳动物中的生育因素的作用是 对提高人类生育力的发展尤为重要。这个 目前的应用将检验这样的假设，即不孕不育 维生素D缺乏是雄激素合成受扰的结果 以及在生殖组织中的作用。具体目标是：1) 通过测量循环来确定雄激素合成是否发生改变 睾酮(T)浓度，2)循环T浓度 在缺乏维生素D的动物中是低水平的，刺激T合成 人绒毛膜促性腺激素输注及恢复正常 将尝试T植入的生育能力，3)确定维生素D是否 缺乏与雄激素敏感机制相关的干扰 与精子发生和精子成熟有关的雄激素结合蛋白 (ABP)，一种支持细胞产品和雄激素作用的标记物，将被 在睾丸和附睾处测量，4)由于支持细胞是一种 维生素D的目标，睾丸组织形态计量学评估将是 在维生素D缺乏的动物身上完成的结合研究 精子产生率、形态、活力和活动力。学生 将被雇用并被鼓励参与数据生成和 分析。这将为以下几个项目提供“实践”研究经验 本科生。这样的参与和培训是有好处的 为促进本科生在生物医学领域的经验和职业生涯 研究科学。

The long-term objectives of this application are to identify sites and mechanisms of action of vitamin D that are responsible for the reduced fertility observed in vitamin D deficiency. That normal reproductive functions are vitamin D-dependent was a novel finding with direct implications for human fertility. Reproductive studies in vitamin D- deficient rats will identify vitamin D-dependent targets that directly affect fertility. The role of fertility factors in mammals are especially important to developments that improve human fertility. The current application will test the hypothesis that the infertility of vitamin D deficiency is a result of perturbation of androgen synthesis and action in reproductive tissues. The specific aims are: 1) to determine if androgen synthesis is altered by measuring circulating concentrations of testosterone (T), 2) if circulating T concentrations are low in vitamin D-deficient animals, stimulation of T synthesis with human chorionic gonadotropin infusions and the restoration of normal fertility with T implants will be attempted, 3) to determine if vitamin D deficiency is interfering with androgen sensitive mechanisms associated with spermatogenesis and sperm maturation, androgen-binding protein (ABP), a Sertoli cell product and marker of androgen action, will be measured in testes and epididymides, and 4) since Sertoli cells are a target for vitamin D, testicular histomorphometric evaluation will be accomplished in vitamin D-deficient animals in conjunction with studies of sperm production rates, morphology, viability, and motility. Students will be employed and encouraged to participate in data generation and analyses. This will provide "hands-on" research experience for several undergraduate students. Such participation and training is advantageous for furthering undergraduate experiences and careers in the biomedical research sciences.