Regulation of Androgen Metabolism in Frog Development

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Environmental pollutants that affect reproduction are one of the contributing factors to the declining populations of amphibians worldwide. A better understanding of sex hormone synthesis in amphibians is critical to help discover the mechanisms of action of these pollutants. The objective of the proposed research program is to use known hormone synthesis inhibitors to further our understanding of the regulation and biological functions of enzymes and hormones involved in male endocrine signalling. The experimental approach includes the analysis of organismal, cellular and molecular endpoints and aims to correlate higher levels of biological organization, for example atypical histology, to subtle molecular changes (e.g., gene expression). Over the next five years, my research program will study testosterone metabolism during frog development and sexual maturity.