EFFECTS OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY ON MALE REPRODUCTION

这项申请的长期目标是确定地点， 维生素D的作用机制，负责减少 维生素D缺乏症中观察到的生育能力。 正常的生殖 维生素D依赖性是一个新的发现， 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的老鼠将识别出直接依赖于维生素D的目标， 影响生育能力。 生育因子在哺乳动物中的作用 对提高人类生育率的发展尤为重要。 的 目前的应用将测试的假设，不育的 维生素D缺乏是雄激素合成紊乱的结果 和生殖组织中的作用。 具体目标是：1） 通过测量循环中雄激素的含量来确定雄激素的合成是否改变 睾酮（T）浓度，2）如果循环T浓度 在维生素D缺乏的动物中含量低， 人绒毛膜促性腺激素输注和恢复正常 将尝试T植入物的生育能力，3）以确定维生素D是否 缺乏是干扰雄激素敏感机制相关 与精子发生和精子成熟，雄激素结合蛋白 (ABP)，一种支持细胞产物和雄激素作用的标志物， 在睾丸和附睾中测量，以及4）由于支持细胞是一种 作为维生素D的目标，睾丸组织形态学评价将 在缺乏维生素D的动物中完成， 精子生产率、形态、活力和活力。 学生 将被雇用并被鼓励参与数据生成， 分析。 这将为几个国家提供“动手”的研究经验， 本科生。 这种参与和培训是有利的 促进本科生在生物医学的经验和职业生涯 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.